


A Turing Test in the Stars

by Sophia Mora (firelilyjade)



Category: Ex Machina (2015), Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Androids, Artificial Intelligence, But stormtroopers miss most of the time anyway, Caleb really was an AI, Chapter 13 has some violence, Hux lookalike, M/M, So it's alright, Turing Test, sexual content starts in chapter 14, some masturbation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-08
Updated: 2017-12-12
Packaged: 2019-02-12 00:04:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 27,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12946953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firelilyjade/pseuds/Sophia%20Mora
Summary: After a disturbing revelation, Caleb Smith finds himself on the Finalizer as a programmer, only to befriend a certain short-tempered Knight.Set during The Force Awakens.





	1. Prologue

It had been a week.

A week with no water. A week with no food.

That was Caleb’s first clue.

He felt drained, of course, waiting to die in that small room, but it was a sensation like he had never felt before. He didn’t know how to describe it.

He looked up weakly and peered out into the hallway leading to his salvation, the hallway he could never reach. He could see Kyoko’s corpse crumpled on the ground, her jaw missing, her lifeless eyes staring forwards. It chilled Caleb every time he saw it. Not just because it was a broken, humanoid machine, but for some other, deeper reason. Like she was kindred of sorts.

Caleb struggled to get up and feebly smacked his arms against the wall again. The dark pit of despair welled up inside him, and his fingers turned to claws as he tried to scratch his way out yet again. The entire ordeal seemed rather hopeless and bleak.

Why wasn’t he dead yet?

Caleb looked down at his arm, the one he had slashed open in a fit of delirium over a week before. It hadn’t healed any, which he thought was incredibly odd. With sudden interest, he ripped away the makeshift bandage and studied it again. It gaped just as much as it had when he created the wound, but no blood seeped out.

“What the…,” he muttered to himself as his fingers prodded the area. The light was dim and hard to see in, but he was certain after a few moments of this that no blood was coming out. But if he had no blood… then surely he’d be dead. He was no biologist, but that much should have been obvious.

He curled his fingertips, slowly ripping the flesh ever further, just slightly. He expected a sting of pain. He got none. This was another oddity. The next clue.

Struggling to see in the dim light, he peered at the wound. That was when he noticed it.

Wires.

Just a couple of them, like they had been buried down in his flesh quite a ways. But it was unmistakable.

Caleb blinked and let out a ragged breath as he let his head fall back against the wall. It couldn’t be. There was blood… and flesh… and bone, before. None of this… machinery.

But as he thought more on this revelation, it began to make more sense. He had no idea how Nathan had made his body seem so humanoid, even to himself, but there was no other way.

It had been a week since Ava had left. A normal person would have died of thirst within three days. He hadn’t needed to go the restroom, he hadn’t felt hunger, or thirst ( _though would he have known those feelings if he did experience them…?_ ) and he hadn’t slept. He just sat there, occasionally trying to break the windows with a chair or his limbs, looking out and shuddering at Kyoko’s disabled form….  
He was like her. That’s why it chilled him so much. That’s why he wanted to save her. To save Ava.

Caleb didn’t have any more time to ruminate on these discoveries. He had no more time to question how he had been fooled, or _programmed_ , to think that he was a human with an ordinary life and an extraordinary opportunity.

He would have very much liked to ponder this, as one is wont to ponder their own existence, but time had run out.

The power switched back on.

And then it cut.


	2. Chapter 1

_Great_ , Hux thought to himself as he surveyed the damage. _Kylo Ren has gone off again._

He sighed heavily as he commed the maintenance crew. He wasn’t heartless. He would be sure to give them a bit of overtime pay for having to clean up after Ren, _again_. He had better things to do than monitor Ren, but it was all he seemed to be doing at the moment. He couldn’t possibly fathom why he had thrown this particular tantrum, but it was getting very irritating. The maintenance crew was probably pissed as all hell too.

Speak of the devil. Hux turned around just in time to see Kylo Ren stalking the hallway outside. He rushed to intercept the large man, putting a hand on his chest to stop him before crossing his arms.

“Care to explain this?” He gestured widely to the damaged room they stood outside.

“It’s nothing to worry yourself over, _General_ ,” Ren sneered, the vocoder in his mask making his tone seem even more mocking. Hux frowned, his face creasing more than usual.

“You are causing a lot of trouble, lately. Do you have any internal frustrations I need to know about? How’s your search for that map coming?”

He must have hit a sensitive chord, because Ren immediately went on the defensive. “The effort towards finding the map is going just as planned,” he snapped, moving to push past Hux, clearly done with talking to him.

Hux sighed. There was no reasoning with him. He turned and watched Ren’s retreating form for a moment before going on his way.

Kylo let out a breath of air he had been holding as he stalked away from the slighter man. General Hux, with all of his primness and properness, always rubbed him the wrong way. He counted his heavy footfalls as he made his way to his quarters. Once there, he slipped inside and took his mask off.

He couldn’t keep doing this. There were times when he truly was angry and needed to break something. But lately, Kylo had only been doing it so Hux would give him a second glance. He knew it was pathetic. He didn’t need anybody to tell him that. But he saw the General so rarely, and he wished he could see him more. Over the years, Hux had Kylo drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

And he didn’t even know it.

Not that Hux would give him a second glance in that sort of context, though. He had the Force. He knew what Hux was thinking, what he was feeling. And it was nothing except annoyance, irritation, and the like. Nothing even slightly curious, or romantic, or anything like what Kylo experienced when he was around the ginger-haired male. Hell, Hux probably didn’t even swing that way. This entire endeavor was doomed to failure.

Kylo landed on the bed and covered his eyes. He didn’t even know what he liked about Hux. His personality was shit. Kylo had enough negativity in his life. He didn’t need any more. No, Kylo knew that his physical attraction to Hux was merely that: physical. He knew he would go crazy if he actually had to date the guy. Their personalities were so damn incompatible.  
A one night fling. That’s all he wanted. Kylo could reasonably get any woman or man he wanted, if he persuaded (or scared) them enough. But he didn’t want it to happen that way. He wanted Hux to want it too. And it was highly doubtful that he would.

Kylo got up. He needed to train. That would get his mind off things. More specifically, that ginger-haired monstrosity of a man.

*** 

“Lord Ren, General Hux wants to see you,” Mitaka relayed the message in a timid voice. Kylo turned around, facing him with the visor of his mask. “He’s on the bridge,” Mitaka added. 

“Very well. Dismissed,” he waved Mitaka away with his gloved hand as he began to make his way towards the bridge, heart racing ever so slightly faster.

“We have a situation, Ren,” Hux started without preamble, pressing a datapad into Kylo’s hand. Kylo looked down at it in interest, noting that it was a command for a program cleanup. “Some of the ship’s internal systems need to update, and they aren’t doing it automatically anymore. This affects things like the hyperdrive, the nav computer, and everything, so it’s very urgent that you get down to the programming offices and tell-,” he looked down at his own ‘pad to refresh his memory, “-Caleb Smith, to fix the problem. He’s rather new, so don’t be as incorrigible as you normally are.” 

Kylo looked up at Hux, wishing he could see the look on his face without the mask. “And you want me to do this… why? Isn’t there somebody more qualified to run a simple errand such as this?”

“Well, since you feel the need to keep destroying all of the control rooms, creating malfunctions that lead to programming issues such as these, I figured it would only be proper for you to make sure that it gets fixed. So go down there, and make sure that programmer does his job. Got it?” Hux smiled a mirthless smirk, and Kylo fought the urge to strangle him.

“Very well,” he said in a clipped tone, trying not to let Hux know how humiliating this was. Doing grunt work? A maintenance droid could have done this much. But he did suppose that the damages were his fault, and Hux technically counted as a superior officer, so he couldn’t disobey. Not without Hux telling Supreme Leader Snoke about it. And Kylo had no intentions of aggravating Snoke again.

He turned on his heel and made his way through the _Finalizer_ , going to a level he had never ventured before. It was rather dark compared to the rest of the ship, but he supposed the computer nerds liked it that way. He stopped a middle-aged woman in the hallway. She looked like she wanted to bolt. He didn’t blame her. He was Kylo Ren, after all. There would, under normal circumstances, be no good reason for him to be down in this part of the ship.

“Do you know where Caleb Smith is?” Kylo asked. The woman nodded and shakily pointed to a door near the end of the long hallway. 

“He’s… in that office over there… sir,” she said nervously. Kylo almost felt sorry for her.

“Thanks,” he said gruffly, moving out of her way and starting to walk down to the door she had described.

The woman took out her comm and turned it to the right channel. She whispered, “ _Watch out Caleb. You might die today_.”

In his office, Caleb heard the comm go off, and he had received the cryptic message just a moment before the door slid open. His eyes widened slightly as Kylo Ren’s large masked form filled up the room. _Ah…_ , he thought, sitting up a little straighter. _So that’s what she meant_.

He knew who Kylo Ren was. Everybody did. He didn’t go up to the main level of the _Finalizer_ very often, so he had never had the… honour of meeting the man, but his reputation was quite fearsome.

What he couldn’t fathom was why Ren was just standing there… staring at him.


	3. Chapter 2

Kylo didn’t think it was possible. The small man, sitting in his chair before a computer screen, looked _exactly_ like Armitage Hux.

Sure, he was dressed in far less expensive clothes. His hair wasn’t slicked back, rather it hung slightly in his face. And he didn’t have the same eternal sneer that Hux always wore. But it was the same face, nonetheless.

The slight man before him started to fidget, clearly a little uncomfortable. He seemed to ponder to himself for a moment, before opening his mouth in question.

“Is… is there something you needed, uh, sir?” he asked. Kylo Ren let out a breath. It was the same voice too, but without the snarled undertones of his twin on the bridge. Caleb’s words snapped him out of his staring, at the very least, and Ren held out a datapad.

“Orders from the bridge. I’m assuming you are Caleb Smith?” Kylo asked as the other man reached out with a thin arm to take the ‘pad, studying it.

“Oh, ah, yes, I am,” Caleb answered, distracted by the order printed on the screen. “So… okay, let me see what I can do.”

He put down the datapad and turned his attention to the computer, typing in the right commands that would bring him to the location of the main programming files he needed. He punched in the permissions he was given, eyes active as he scanned the many lines of code for the corrupted ones. 

He paused in his work to glance at Kylo Ren, who hadn’t moved a muscle. He couldn’t tell what the other man was thinking, because of the mask, and he wasn’t sure why he remained.

“Um…,” Caleb smiled slightly, uncomfortably. “Is there something else you… ah… needed?”

“No,” Ren answered, relaxing his stance slightly in response. “I am merely supposed to stay here and make sure you complete the job.”

Caleb nodded. “Alright,” he commented, turning back to the computer screen. It took a few minutes, but he quickly found the problem. Malfunctions like these ones were always localized in just a small, few-line radius, which made the problem rather easy to fix. Caleb didn’t notice as Kylo Ren slowly made his way behind him, presumably to look at the computer screen as Caleb quickly changed permissions, spliced loops, and added security measures.

Kylo Ren couldn’t deny that he was impressed with how quickly the young programmer worked. His fingers seemed to fly across the keyboard, like he was able to comprehend what was on the screen faster than the average person.

Did Hux know about this? That he had a doppelganger below his feet? Maybe it was his clone, Kylo mused. Cloning wasn’t a new technology, by any means. Though Kylo was at a loss for what Hux would need a clone for.

No, it had to be mere coincidence. Had to be. Caleb may share Hux’s face, but his mannerisms were completely different.

“Okay... I’m done, sir,” Caleb announced, closing out of the program. “That problem should be fixed now.”

Kylo nodded. “Good,” he said curtly, grabbing the datapad and turning to stride out of the door. He gave one last furtive glance to the slight redhead before completely leaving, noticing that Caleb had already returned to the task he had been working on prior to Ren’s arrival.

_Holy shit_ , was all Kylo could think, exiting the room. His heart rate had quickened somewhat, which he found incredibly ridiculous, considering he had only been in the room for fifteen minutes at most.

This entire ordeal baffled him. And even after returning to the main deck, he found that he could not get Hux’s facsimile out of his mind.

***

“Caleb, are you okay?” a heavier-set woman entered Caleb’s small office, her eyes glistening with curiosity. Caleb looked up from his work, surprised that he had another visitor.

“Oh, Marja, uhm, yeah, I’m fine,” he answered with a smile. “It really wasn’t a big deal. There was just a few corruptions in the system that I needed to fix.”

“Yeah, but _Kylo Ren_ was in here. Doesn’t that scare you? You do know what he’s capable of, right?”

Caleb shrugged. “I suppose, but I’m not really... _afraid_ of him. He’s just another person.”

_Unlike me_ , he thought silently.

Marja raised a dark eyebrow. “I always knew you were crazy, Caleb Smith.”

Caleb laughed and rubbed his face tiredly. “I think you’re making too big a deal out of this, honestly,” he told her. “I know Kylo Ren can be subject to his anger, but I’ve done nothing to make him angry, so why be afraid of him? I feel like he’s the kind of person who has to be provoked.”

“Sure, but it doesn’t take much to provoke a guy like him. Plus, you look _exactly_ like the General, and it’s common knowledge that the two of them do not get along.”

“You keep saying that,” Caleb pointed out. 

In fact, _many_ people told him as much. Caleb had never met General Hux before, and couldn’t be bothered with it, so he didn’t know exactly how true those claims were. If Kylo Ren and Hux’s relationship was really that volatile, then he must not resemble him much at all judging by the way Kylo acted around him. Not that Caleb could get much of a read on the man, with the mask and all.

“Because it’s true.”

Caleb sighed. “I’ve never met him. Are you sure I just don’t resemble him a little bit? You know... same color hair or something. Is red hair common in space?”

“It’s not just the hair, Caleb, it’s _everything_. I bet somebody could kidnap Hux, replace you with him, and nobody would ever know.”

Caleb laughed again. “I highly doubt that.”

“Okay, you have me there. You just aren’t mean enough to run a First Order ship.”

“Thanks? I suppose.” Caleb smiled slightly and turned his attention back to the computer screen, monitoring a security feed. He really didn’t know what all of the fuss was about.

Marja reached over and ruffled his hair jovially. “Just be careful, if Ren is going to be making visits here more often.”

“I’m sure it was just a one-time thing.”

“I dunno... with all of the stuff he breaks, he might be down here again.”

“Then I’ll be ready,” Caleb sighed. “Simple as that.”


	4. Chapter 3

"Take this up to the bridge,” Kaufman, Caleb’s supervisor, ordered gruffly, holding a datastick out to the young programmer.

Caleb looked at him in surprise. “Me, sir?”

“Yes, you, you dunce, can’t you listen?” He pushed the datastick towards him again, prompting him to take it. Caleb accepted it and got out of his chair.

“Sorry, sir,” he said automatically, but not really that offended. He knew that Kaufman was always grumpy in the afternoons. Kaufman grunted in response and left the office without a word.

Usually somebody else took on this job. It was all very odd, but Caleb supposed there was a first time for everything. He stretched, feeling the whirrs and rotary motion of the mechanisms inside of his body. After his unsettling discovery, he was painfully aware of all of the machinery in his system. He hated it.

He had lived as a human, damn it! At least... in his memory. In his head. But now it had been stolen from him. Though... could somebody steal something from you if you never had it in the first place?

He checked to make sure the bandage on his left arm was secure. Now that he knew his skin wouldn’t heal, he had to hide it. He wasn’t sure how the revelation that he was an android would go over in this setting. And, by hiding the gash, he could try to fool himself, convince himself that he was normal.

It was all in vain, but it was all he had.

He had to ask for directions twice. It had been ages since he had been on the main levels of the _Finalizer_. He, like most of the programmers, lived on the lower levels, never to see the light of day. Or... whatever the space equivalent of that was, anyway.

Finally having made it to the bridge, he stopped in his tracks. Kaufman had neglected to tell him who exactly to give the datastick to. He looked around nervously, watching the engineers and officers working away at their stations, paying him no attention.

Maybe he could just give it to somebody random?

He stared out of the viewport at the vastness of the space beyond. Everybody on the ship was so close to death... it amazed Caleb greatly. A year ago, he had not known that space travel of this caliber was possible. Walking forward to the rail, he laid his hands on it and admired the view. He could never get this downstairs.

“Who are you?” came a clipped voice from behind him. Caleb turned around and froze.

He made a mental note to apologize to Marja for his skepticism. It was like looking in a mirror. This had to be the general. If Caleb had been subject to normal biological response, he would have felt chills running down his spine at the sight.

“Um... I’m Caleb Smith,” Caleb answered, forcing his voice not to waver with nervousness and shock.

General Hux seemed similarly shaken by Caleb’s appearance. A few moments of silence passed before Hux answered.

“What are you doing up here? You are a programmer, correct? Your station is not up here,” Hux pointed out primly, taking a few steps towards him, green eyes hard and unyielding.

“I... I know, sir, I came to deliver this...” Caleb held out the datastick to the man who looked remarkably like him. “My supervisor just said to bring this to the bridge... he didn’t say who to give it to. Is it... is it yours, by chance?”

Hux looked down at the datastick, reaching out and taking it from him. He inspected it slowly, with a frown. “This isn’t mine. This belongs to Kylo Ren.”

Caleb nodded. “Okay...” He looked intently at the face that matched his. Hux was wearing a sneer, and, from what Caleb had been told, he assumed it was at the mention of Ren.

Hux thrust the datastick towards him. “His quarters are in corridor G6. If he’s not there, he might be in the training rooms in corridor I3. I suggest you complete your task.”

Caleb took the object back and nodded. “Yes, sir,” he replied politely, unsure of how exactly to act around him.

General Hux stared at him intently for a few more moments before stepping aside so Caleb could go through. Caleb gave him a small smile and hurried away to a map on the wall.

He didn’t notice Hux’s stare boring holes into his back.

***

Hux had been surprised to see a stranger on the bridge. Normally people were not so bold. He wondered why nobody had stopped a mere programmer from standing in a position of power.

After he got a good look at the newcomer, however, he immediately knew why.

He didn’t even want to consider how this may have affected his reputation. The programmer was dressed in plebian clothing, hair neat but not nearly as well-kempt as his own, standing in more of a submissive manner – the look of a follower rather than a leader.

This person shared his face. It wasn’t even just an uncanny resemblance. 

It was _exact_. It was unsettling, and Hux somehow knew that this was going to be a problem.

 _Good thing he’s just a programmer_ , Hux mused. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be sent back up to the main levels anytime soon.

He would have wondered how Kylo Ren would have reacted, if it weren’t for the knowledge that Ren had already met him. He remembered sending Ren to supervise a Caleb Smith several weeks prior for damages to the internal system. He smirked slightly to himself. He would have killed to know how Ren had reacted, just looking at him. Although, Ren didn’t seem any different than usual when he had returned the datapad. Just flustered as usual. Though it was always hard to tell with that damn mask of his.

Hux wasn’t an idiot. He knew Ren was more than a little smitten with him. He honestly sometimes wondered what it would be like to be with somebody like Ren, but he doubt he would actually enjoy it. They might have good, rough sex, but that was about it. Personality wise, they weren’t a good match. Rather than thinking about it, he just ignored the whole thing. Ren would never make the first move anyway. That was more Hux’s talent.

Hux closed his eyes and shook his head. Back to work. No use fixating on the doppelganger he may have just sent to his doom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Constructive criticism is appreciated. Listened to a lot of Pink Floyd. Now I'm floating through a sea of headless monkeys.


	5. Chapter 4

Kylo Ren wasn’t in his chambers. At least, Caleb thought so. He had knocked multiple times.

Great. Now he had to continue navigating the maze. He itched to go back to his office. He didn’t belong up here. And meeting General Hux for the first time was just... _weird_. 

Already, three people had stopped him, thinking he was Hux. It was very exhausting, being mistaken for somebody else. He practically had a speech now.

“ _No, my name is Caleb... yes... I know, we do look similar. Haha._ ”

Suddenly, unbidden thoughts began entering his head. Disturbing ones.

His face wasn’t actually _real_. He had seen Kyoko’s face under her skin. He had seen Ava put on ‘skin’ of her own. He could probably change it if he wanted.

Caleb shuddered and ducked into a refresher, shaking his head. He went over to the mirror, bending over, a pale hand reaching up to pull at the skin on his face. Fake skin.

Despair at knowing his entire ‘life’ was a lie began to settle over him. He didn’t think he would ever be able to get over it. He sighed. He straightened back up and stared at his reflection. He tried to imitate the sneer he had seen on Hux’s face. 

Of course, he was able to imitate it perfectly. He was designed to copy human emotion. 

_In order to fool them into thinking I_ am _human_.

Disgusted at himself, he rubbed his face with his hands and left the room. He needed to find Kylo Ren, give him the datastick, and then just go back down to his office and forget everything. Next time Kaufman wanted him to go up there, maybe he could just give the job to somebody else. Somebody who’d actually enjoy leaving the confines of the lower levels.

“I3... I3...,” he mumbled to himself, turning a corner and finding himself where he wanted to be. He walked down the hallway, looking for a training room of some sort. Finding it, he pressed the button to open it.

Caleb found himself unable to move, watching Kylo Ren run through some sort of training motions. His lightsaber was activated, and it made an intimidating loud hum. Caleb wasn’t afraid of much, because not much could actually hurt him, but he knew that a lightsaber would definitely be able to kill him, no matter how much more sturdy he was than a human.

Kylo didn’t have the mask on this time, and his hair flew wildly around his head. He only wore a training top and black pants with boots, instead of the heavy-looking ensemble he usually wore. He was drenched with sweat, and Caleb could tell he had been practising for a while.

Caleb didn’t know how to interrupt him, nor how Kylo would react. His temper was infamous, after all. Even Caleb, shut away as he was, knew that. But he did feel awkward standing there.

Caleb lifted a hand and knocked softly on the wall next to the door, hoping the sound was loud enough to break Ren free from his reverie.

When it didn’t work the first time, Caleb tried again, louder. Kylo froze, back to him. He turned off his lightsaber and turned, a scowl on his face.

When Kylo noticed it was Caleb standing there, his face changed, inexplicably. His expression almost became soft, as if to avoid scaring him.

Caleb gave a small smile. “Um, this is for you,” he stated dumbly, holding out the datastick. Kylo glanced at it briefly before returning his dark gaze to Caleb’s face. He didn’t move for several moments, studying him. Caleb began to feel uncomfortable, and was about to repeat himself before Kylo strode forward confidently, stopping closer than Caleb felt was necessary. He reached out a gloved hand and took the datastick, dropping his gaze from Caleb to look at the object.

“Ah yes...,” Kylo grumbled in his deep voice. It was different without the vocoder. Warmer. “I thought I’d lost this. Where was it?”

Caleb shrugged. “My supervisor gave it to me... I don’t know where he found it.”

Kylo hummed. “Right. Thank you.”

Caleb nodded. “No problem,” he answered. “Um... have a nice day, I guess.” He turned to leave.

“Do you work out?” Kylo asked suddenly, causing Caleb to stop in his tracks and turn back to him.

“Um...” What an odd question. “Not... really?”

“What, afraid to break a sweat?” Kylo quipped, smiling slightly as he looked down at him.

_Was this really happening?_ Caleb fought the urge to tell Kylo that he, in fact, physically couldn’t ‘break a sweat’. 

The confusion on his face must have been evident because Kylo laughed. “Come on, help me train.”

“Help you...? I don’t know if I’m the best person for that...,” Caleb protested, but allowed Kylo to lead him into the room and close the door.

“Don’t worry, I’ll go easy on you.”

Caleb decided against protesting further, since it seemed like Kylo had already made his mind up. Why he was offering to do this, however, was a complete and utter mystery to him.

Kylo threw a long rod at him. Caleb’s eyes widened and he acted on reflex, jumping to the side and letting the rod clatter to the floor. Kylo laughed again.

“You’re supposed to catch it.”

“Sorry... I wasn’t expecting that,” Caleb defended himself. If he had blood, he was sure his face would have been flushed with embarrassment. He went over and picked up the staff carefully, noting that it was heavier than he expected it would be, even with his enhanced strength.

“Clearly,” Kylo teased, picking up a rod of his own. He twirled it with ease, and got into a ready position, locking eyes with Caleb, who stood there rather awkwardly. “Spread your feet out more, you’ll be more stable that way,” Kylo instructed.

Caleb pursed his lips and did as he was directed, holding up the staff nervously. He had no idea what was coming.

“Alright. Let’s begin.”

***

To say that Kylo Ren was overjoyed was an understatement. When he had seen the slight figure of Caleb Smith standing in the doorway to the training facility, he was careful to pay attention to the expression that was on his face. It was no use scaring him away.

In the past few weeks, try as he may, Kylo could not get Caleb out of his mind. In a way, he was even more attractive than Hux himself. The way his hair hung over his forehead, his mild expression, his nervous yet polite demeanor... he was like Hux, but softer. He didn’t have to worry about attitude, or any unsavoury comments. He wasn’t worried about being irritated the whole time. 

Admittedly, most of his thoughts about the general were quite sexual, and he knew Hux would like it rough, like he did. But it wasn’t the same when he thought about Caleb. He found that he really wanted to get to know him, on a personal level. It was all very strange, but Kylo was not afraid of it. He knew what he wanted, and he intended to get it.

So, out of the blue, he asked Caleb to spar with him. Caleb’s expression, to say the least, was very amusing. The poor thing was out of his element. Kylo liked it. It made Caleb vulnerable, and it made him easier to talk to. Kylo had always found it difficult to connect with people, but it almost seemed natural, with Caleb. It was strange, but not unpleasant.

“Try to hit me,” Kylo instructed gently. The redhead’s eyes widened slightly. He pressed his thin lips together, thinking. Kylo was about to prompt him further before Caleb lunged forwards, swinging the staff at him.

Kylo grinned widely and blocked it with ease, noting that Caleb seemed a lot stronger than he looked. “Good,” he praised. “Try again.”

Caleb gulped and nodded, repeating the movement, but on the other side. Kylo responded accordingly, allowing the Force to run through him, guiding his movements.

They continued in this manner, Caleb bravely advancing forward in a show of assertion that surprised Kylo somewhat. He liked it. Caleb put up more of a fight than he expected him to.

Kylo didn’t expect to feel any physical exertion from the exercise, so he was mildly surprised to feel sweat running down his face, his heart rate elevated. He motioned for Caleb to stop, and Caleb did so, stepping back a few steps. Kylo studied him. He wasn’t breathing hard at all, and his skin was as dry as when he came in. The only thing that belied their joust was that his hair was slightly dishevelled.

Force, he was perfect, Kylo decided then. 

“You have some stamina,” Kylo commented, putting the rod away and holding out a hand for Caleb’s. 

Caleb returned the staff to him. “I suppose...,” he responded quietly, smiling a small smile.

Kylo had never seen Hux smile a smile that wasn’t sarcastic, and it was refreshing to see such a positive expression on the face he was infatuated with.

“You didn’t even break a sweat,” Kylo observed nonchalantly. This seemed to strike a chord with his companion, however, and Kylo noticed Caleb stiffen slightly. He pondered whether to make a note of it aloud, but decided not to. Caleb was probably just nervous.

“You don’t need to be nervous around me,” Kylo assured him. “I’m not the monster everybody says I am.”

“Nobody is saying that,” Caleb defended with a frown. “Don’t worry.”

Kylo laughed sharply. “You’re telling me not to worry? That’s funny. Are you hungry? I could use some protein right about now.”

Caleb smiled, looking at the ground. “It’s okay, really, I ought to get back to work.”

“I’ll excuse you from your duties for the rest of the day. I will contact your supervisor. You don’t need to be worried about that.”

“It’s not that, it’s just... um...,” Caleb trailed off and glanced to the side. Kylo frowned. Perhaps his efforts to put the other man at ease weren’t paying off?

“It’s no trouble,” Kylo enunciated firmly, stepping closer to Caleb. “In fact... I _insist_.”

Caleb shut his eyes for a moment, sighed quietly, and opened them again. “Okay.”

Kylo smiled what he hoped was a warm smile. “Good. Come with me, I’ll call for a service. Do you want anything in particular?” He began to lead Caleb to his chambers.

“No, I’m fine,” Caleb denied, following Kylo out of the room. Kylo led him through the winding halls of the _Finalizer_ with ease, before they found themselves at the door Caleb had been in front of only a while earlier. Kylo keyed in the lock combination and the door opened. He gestured for Caleb to enter first.

Caleb hesitated, and then entered the room, standing awkwardly in the middle of it.

“Make yourself at home,” Kylo said. “No need to just stand there.”

“...Right,” Caleb mumbled, sitting down in a chair, looking around both out of curiosity and also for something to do while Kylo ordered them food.

He had no idea why he agreed to do this. He couldn’t eat food, so he would have to come up with a good excuse as to why he couldn’t. 

Caleb couldn’t deny that Kylo seemed really nice. A lot nicer than other people made him out to be. Maybe he treated Caleb differently, be he couldn’t fathom why that would be the case. There was nothing remarkable about him in the slightest.

He was used to people ignoring him. Even in his fake life, he was always a loner behind a computer screen. And then he met Nathan and Ava. Nathan was his idol, the smartest programmer he knew. Little did he know that he was a direct product of Nathan’s genius.

And Ava. He thought he loved her. He thought she loved him back. She gave him the time of day, intrigued him. He thought he could save her. He didn’t know that he was really the one that needed to be saved.

One thing he knew for certain was that he was actually kind of _happy_ around Kylo. Kylo was different yet than anybody he had ever come across, fake or otherwise. Perhaps the reason for that happiness was because he was starved for attention, he didn’t know. All he knew was that Kylo fascinated him, interested him, and perhaps he could actually befriend the man. 

Or it could all be a trick. But how could it be? Kylo didn’t know anything about him.

Maybe it was all because of his resemblance to General Hux. He didn’t know the details of their relationship, but he had heard talk that they fought like a ‘married couple’. Maybe Kylo was projecting?

A _ding_ at the door interrupted Caleb’s thoughts as Kylo answered it and brought in the food that was hurriedly served them.

“That was quick,” Caleb commented, breaking the silence.

“Of course. It’s me.”

Caleb smiled as Kylo sat down across from him, setting the tray on the table between them. “Dig in,” Kylo stated, taking a plate and filling it with meat and vegetables.

Caleb stared at the spread nervously. He reached out, taking a plate and holding it without moving. 

“Do you not like it?” Kylo asked between bites.

“Um... I’m just not that hungry...,” Caleb answered lamely.

“Loosen up a little,” said Kylo. “This food is a million times better than the junk they serve downstairs.”

It certainly did _look_ good. But Caleb knew that all of his memories of food were merely that-- memories. _Fake_ memories, at that.

Would it hurt him to eat? Did he have a simulated digestive system? Caleb realised that he had no idea what his insides looked like. He knew what his _brain_ looked like from his time with Nathan, but he had no idea how Nathan built the bodies of his AIs.

Caleb tentatively reached over and speared a vegetable on his fork. He studied it closely, trying not to seem too strange, and then put it in his mouth.

It had no taste, but he could feel the texture. It was very odd. But, in the false memories, Caleb couldn’t remember actually tasting anything at all. He knew he _ought_ to, but he couldn’t. 

_What do they do next? Chew and swallow._

Caleb chewed the vegetable, and swallowed it. The fact that he could swallow at all seemed to be a good sign. Man. Nathan really knew his stuff, if he thought of that much.

“Good?” Kylo asked, seemingly unaware of how much of an ordeal that was for him.

“Um... yeah,” Caleb answered, smiling. “Well... can I go to the... refresher?”

In space, it was a ‘refresher’, not a ‘bathroom’. Caleb was proud that he remembered that one. He recalled the first time he called it a bathroom on this ship... he got several weird looks.

“Over there,” Kylo gestured. Caleb smiled, noticing for the first time how Kylo’s eyes brightened at his expression.

_What did that mean?_

“Thanks,” Caleb said, standing. 

He had only taken a few steps before he blacked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really liked this one, personally.


	6. Chapter 5

Kylo was _freaking out_. He normally was well-composed... well, maybe not. But he had been doing so well. It had been weeks since he last broke anything. 

He quickly got up and knelt next to Caleb. He seemed lifeless, and that worried Kylo. Kylo placed a hand on his chest, and bent over, listening to check for a heartbeat. He was probably overreacting, but he had to be sure.

Silence.

“Shit,” Kylo muttered. He scooped Caleb up into his arms easily, and hurried down to the medbay. Barging in, he was already barking orders. He didn’t care that he wasn’t wearing his mask. They all seemed to know it was him anyway.

“Help him, quickly! He’s not breathing, and I can’t hear a pulse.”

The medics recovered from their shock of seeing Kylo Ren in their midst and gathered around the bed where Caleb was carefully placed. They did the usual tests – checking for heartbeat, checking for breathing, checking for head injuries.

“You’re right, he’s not breathing,” one of the medics said as he gestured for another one to grab the resuscitation paddles. 

Kylo breathed out heavily through his nose, frustrated. “You have to work faster,” he grumbled in irritation, heart racing with worry.

The main medic grabbed the paddles and pressed them against Caleb’s chest. He repeated the action a few times before, suddenly, Caleb bolted upright with a small cry.

The medics cheered and Kylo let out the breath he had been holding. Caleb looked worse for wear, but he seemed alive. He pushed through the sea of people surrounding the bed and set a heavy hand on Caleb’s shoulder. “Are you okay?” he asked, trying to not let his voice waver.

Caleb looked around in confusion, before settling dark emerald eyes onto Kylo. “Where... where am I?”

“You’re in the medbay, Caleb. You passed out. You weren’t breathing, and your heart wasn’t beating.”

“We need to check for a concussion, Caleb,” the medic said, reaching over with a stethoscope. 

“No, no. I’m fine,” Caleb said quickly, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and standing up, wobbling a bit. Kylo held his shoulder to steady him.

“I suggest you stay here, Caleb,” Kylo urged.

“No... I can’t....” Caleb glanced around, took a deep breath, and then bolted.

He didn’t know where he was going. The _Finalizer_ was a damn maze. He didn’t hear any pursuit, though, so he slowed down and looked for a map or an elevator.

_Shit._

Finding an elevator, he made his way laboriously though the lower levels of the ship, finally making his way back to his office.

He sat behind the desk and held his head in his hands. His vision was malfunctioning somewhat, and there was a red tint to everything he saw. He could feel twitches throughout his body as the electronics responded to the electrical shocks he was given in the medbay.

Those shocks were enough to keep him powered for the precious moments it took to get back down here, but they wouldn’t last for much longer, judging by the way his limbs were moving sluggishly. He reached over to the cord that would connect him to the central power system on the ship. Due to its strength, he would be recharged in only a matter of hours, as long as nobody came to disturb him, especially Kylo Ren.

He was stupid, he knew that. But he was planning to charge that afternoon anyway. He didn’t know that he would be using precious energy in an impromptu sparring session with Kylo, nor that he would be invited to lunch.

“God, I should have charged up sooner,” he chided himself. The familiar buzz of electricity ran through his body, and his vision began returning to normal. He hated blacking out. He remembered the first time it happened-- he was lucky that Nathan seemed to have installed a backup power system, or he would have been out right then and there.

Luckily enough, he only had to charge once per month or so, unless he used up a lot of energy doing something in particular. He didn’t know what kind of batteries he had, so to say, but they were very efficient. Much more efficient than Ava’s. She had to charge every night. Maybe that was why he was allowed to roam around... he was probably newer than her.

He shook his head. No need to think about that. He sighed. Kylo was probably wondering why he ran out like he did.

He couldn’t deny that he had enjoyed himself. He had genuinely enjoyed Kylo’s company. 

It was no matter. It’s not like he would see him again anytime soon anyway. Kylo would forget about him and go on with his life, and Caleb would forever be stuck behind a computer screen. It was his lot in life. And he was okay with that.

Maybe.

***

Kylo didn’t bother chasing after Caleb. He definitely considered it, but he decided not to. Caleb seemed agitated enough as it was, and he didn’t want to damage the fragile friendship he hoped they were forming.

He would check on him the next day, he decided. Just to make sure he was okay.

Kylo was confused, however. Caleb didn’t seem all that surprised to be told that he was basically dead. And what had caused it to happen in the first place? Perhaps he had some sort of medical condition....

Still. Things weren’t adding up. He hadn’t seemed to feel any sort of exertion during their exercise, but he could excuse that. He might be fitter than Kylo gave him credit for, even if he spent his days behind a computer. For all he knew, Caleb went on a ten-mile run every night or something.

But he hadn’t wanted to eat anything, either. And when he did take a bite, it was almost... mechanical. Very peculiar.

He made a mental note to confront Caleb about it the next day. It was probably nothing... but Kylo couldn’t help but get the feeling that his new companion was hiding something.


	7. Chapter 6

Kylo paused outside of Caleb’s office door. He mentally kicked himself. Why was he so nervous?

Of course, he knew why. He knew that he was probably unhealthily obsessed with Caleb Smith, but he didn’t want to admit it. It was just because he looked like Hux, right?

Right?

Kylo sighed and lifted a hand to knock loudly on the door. He normally would barge in, but he felt that Caleb deserved a bit of respect from him.

“Come in,” he heard Caleb’s quiet voice through the door. Kylo took a deep breath and opened the door, stepping inside.

“Hello, Caleb,” he greeted, greedily drinking in the sight of the slighter man. 

Caleb looked up from the monitor in surprise, obviously expecting somebody else. He smiled. “Hello,” he responded. “Do you… ah… need anything?” He glanced at Kylo’s hands, as if expecting there to be a ‘pad with orders or something of the like.

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” Kylo answered gruffly, walking forward to study Caleb more closely.

Caleb let out a small laugh. “I’m fine, honestly, you don’t need to worry.”

Kylo frowned. “You were _dead_ , Caleb. Do you not understand that?”

“Of course I understand that, but it really isn’t a big deal. I’m not dead now, am I?”

“…You are a very strange person, Caleb Smith,” Kylo remarked, moving around the desk so that he was standing next to him. “Do you have some sort of medical condition or something?”

“Medical condition?” Caleb repeated, studying Kylo, thinking. After a few moments’ pause, Caleb shook his head. “Not that I know of. I’ve probably just overworked myself. I’m fine, really.”

Kylo sighed in exasperation. None of this was adding up, and Caleb seemed to only be giving non-answers.

“Why didn’t you want to eat yesterday?” he interrogated further. He really didn’t want to use the Force on him like he had previous victims, but his curiosity was killing him.

Caleb gave him a confused look. “I told you, I wasn’t hungry.” 

“Maybe you haven’t been eating enough, and your body gave out,” Kylo mused. “You are rather thin. Do you have some kind of problem with that?”

It was mostly a woman’s deal, but Kylo knew that men could suffer from those types of mental blocks. Though he couldn’t imagine Caleb being that distraught with himself.  
“What? No. I’m fine,” he asserted. “Okay, maybe I haven’t been eating enough. Happy?” Caleb seemed to be getting impatient, and his fingers twitched over the keyboard, clearly uncomfortable.

“Why not?” Kylo pried further. “Is the food really that bad down here?”

“No,” Caleb ran his hands over his face. “I just… forget.”

Kylo huffed. “You… forget. Are you that busy?”

“This work is a lot more involving than it seems,” Caleb retorted, relaxing now that it seemed that Kylo bought his story. Kylo didn’t really believe him, but what could he do?

_I could…._

Kylo reached out with the Force, prodding gently at Caleb’s mind. Or, at least, where it should be.

Caleb started working again, unaware of what Kylo was trying to do.

Kylo frowned. _What… why can’t I hear anything?_

He couldn’t even _feel_ anything. Come to think of it, he had never felt anything from the smaller male. Even when he was around people he’d never met, he could get a sense of their emotions and mental states just by being around them. It was rather annoying, actually.

But from Caleb, there was nothing. Just silence. Like talking to a droid.

“Are you okay?” Caleb’s voice snapped him out of his probing attempt, and Kylo blinked and met eyes with him.

“Hm? Oh, yes, I’m fine. Just thinking. When do you get off duty?”

“Seventeen-hundred,” Caleb answered.

“Want to meet for dinner? So you don’t ‘forget’ again,” Kylo smirked slightly.

Caleb was silent for a moment, as if having a conversation with himself. After a while, he finally nodded.

“Okay.”

***

Caleb had no idea what just happened.

He really hadn’t expected to ever see Kylo Ren again. Surely he didn’t care _that_ much, did he?

And what was with all of his prying? It was like his Turing test with Ava all over again. Except _he_ took Ava’s role this time around.

Was it possible that Kylo Ren knew? He had to at least suspect that something was up.

Caleb sighed and rubbed his face. This is why he couldn’t get close to anybody. To avoid feeling like a freak. And then he went and agreed to have dinner with him anyway.

He had no idea how he was going to get out of that one. He didn’t even know why he agreed in the first place. Perhaps he just wanted a chance to have a normal relationship with an actual person. Not another android, not his creator, Nathan. Just somebody… normal.

Though Kylo Ren was far from normal, but that wasn’t the point.

Caleb couldn’t deny that the other man intrigued him. So many bad things were said about him… but Caleb had yet to witness anything truly horrible. He was kind… maybe a bit sardonic at times, but nice enough. To him, at least. 

He was the first person to really look at Caleb as if he were an actual human being. Oh, how he longed to be human. It would be so much simpler.

If Kylo Ren, or _anybody_ for that matter, found out about him… how would they react? A year ago, he hadn’t even known space travel was possible. He had seen robots around… ‘droids’, they called them. But they were treated as lesser citizens. As objects. And none of them were truly like him. 

He had tried doing research on the matter, but nothing came up. As far as he knew, Nathan was the only one who created truly humanoid AI androids. Which made him feel even more alone. In a universe with all possibilities played out… he was still alone.

The night before, he tried to figure out where the vegetable had gone. He eventually had found it just past the back of his throat. It was very unpleasant getting it out, and it really had nowhere to go. He couldn’t do that again. 

Maybe he should have said he had a medical condition. One where he had to be tube fed or something. 

For somebody with the entirety of the interwebs programmed into his brain, Caleb wasn’t very quick thinking. Not while Kylo Ren was around, anyway.

He laid his head on his desk in exasperation.

Oh boy, he dreaded this. So why was it simultaneously so exciting?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the end of my chapter dump for today. Maybe. We'll see if I get any more written today. I like writing for these two. It's very flowing and natural.
> 
> To be honest, I'm not sure where it's going, but I'll think of something. I'm just trying to establish a bit of a relationship here, and the revelations will come slowly.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> (Under stars... we are alone...)


	8. Chapter 7

Kylo picked Caleb up from his office exactly at 1700. Caleb smiled at him when he saw him, and it set Kylo’s heart aflutter, just a little bit. He fought back a blush, and hid any redness by turning away to lead him to his quarters.

“Ah... Lord Ren...,” Caleb began. Kylo stopped in his tracks suddenly, Caleb almost bumping into him. Kylo turned to face him.

“Kylo,” he said softly.

Caleb frowned. “...Excuse me?”

“Call me Kylo.”

“Oh...,” Caleb nodded. “Um... okay then. Kylo.”

Hearing his name uttered with his soft and perfect voice stirred something inside Kylo, and he couldn’t help but grin at his companion.

Caleb smiled back. “Um. Kylo,” he repeated. “I have to tell you something.”

“What is it? Can it wait?”

“Well... yeah, sure.”

“Good.” Kylo turned and continued to lead him back up to the upper levels.

They had almost made it across to corridor G3 when a sharp voice barked at them.

“Ren!”

Caleb thought he heard Kylo curse under his breath before they both turned towards the voice. Caleb immediately felt awkward. Of course, it was none other than his remarkably similar copy.

_Or I suppose I’m a copy of_ him, Caleb thought. _Undoubtedly, I have not been around quite as long._

General Hux’s eyes flashed over to Caleb’s, and Caleb attempted to meet his gaze without flinching. There was something... quite intimidating about this man. No matter how similar they looked, he knew they were completely different people.

“Caleb Smith,” Hux said by way of greeting, stepping closer, hands behind his back. “What are you here for this time? Do you not have duties to attend to?”

Kylo bristled at Hux’s tone, feeling strangely protective of his new companion. Caleb stood slightly straighter in retaliation.

“Actually, sir, I am off duty. I am allowed to spend my free time as I please.”

His own boldness shocked him, and he could feel Kylo Ren stiffen behind him.

Hux glared. “Yes, but your like do not normally venture up here, do they?”

“Is there any rule that says we cannot?” Caleb pointed out, keeping his annoyance out of his voice out of respect. He could definitely tell why Hux and Kylo did not get along... Caleb was not easily irritated, but even he couldn’t deny that Hux rubbed him the wrong way. He closed his eyes briefly, trying to remember his place. Just because he was with Kylo Ren did not mean he could disrespect the general of the ship.

Hux scowled. “I suppose not. I was merely curious. Ren.” Hux turned his attention away from his duplicate to address the dark knight.

“What is it, Hux?” Kylo asked with thinly veiled irritation, stepping forward to put Caleb behind him.

“I have some reports for you to look over by 0800 tomorrow. I wanted to make sure you knew, since you check your datapad _oh so often_.”

Kylo sighed. “Fine,” he muttered. “Anything else, _General_?”

“Yes, actually. Don’t get distracted.” Hux looked back over at Caleb, studying him, before turning on his perfectly-polished heel and stalking down the bridge.

As soon as Hux had turned away, Kylo ushered Caleb away from the bridge and into the quiet corridor.

“...So that’s General Hux, huh?” Caleb mused. 

“Have you met him before?” asked Kylo curiously. 

Caleb nodded. “Yesterday. He was the one who identified the datastick as yours.”

“Oh, how lovely,” Kylo grumbled sardonically.

He keyed in the punchcode to his door and allowed Caleb to step in first. 

“Let me change real quick,” Kylo told him, gesturing to the chair for Caleb to sit.

Caleb smiled, taking a seat. “Okay.”

Kylo returned the smile slightly, eyes roving over Caleb’s features, before turning and going into the next room, closing the door.

Once inside the other room, Kylo leaned against the door, rubbing his eyes. It was like seeing double, but their mannerisms were strikingly different.

Kylo let out a quiet groan, going over to his closet to pick out something more suitable to wear. His sexual attraction to Hux was still there, strong as ever, but it had been... tainted. Somehow. By Caleb.

Kylo didn’t know how he felt about Caleb. All he knew was that when Caleb had passed out the day previous, he had never been so scared in his life. Not even when Snoke punished him. Not even when he felt the seductive pull of the dark side of the Force for the first time. 

He barely knew this man, and yet he was able to pull out some very strong emotions in him. 

He was attracted to Caleb Smith. There was no other way to put it. But it wasn’t the same as his attraction for Hux, which surprised him. He figured, with his physical pull to Hux, he would feel the same way about somebody who shared his face. But that wasn’t the case.

He felt... _protective_ of Caleb. Possessive, even. In a completely different way. Having sex with Caleb was the furthest thing from his mind-- he wouldn’t mind trying it, but it wasn’t his first priority. No... with Caleb, he wanted to actually get to know the man behind the face. Because he actually _liked_ that man. He was gentle, caring, polite... Kylo figured he would be boring like that but there was always a new mystery with his new... dare he say it... _friend_.

He found his thoughts straying as he changed into a simple pair of black pants and training top. What it would be like to caress Caleb’s skin. What it’d be like to run his fingers through his fiery hair that looked oh so soft.... maybe even to kiss his rosy lips.... Kylo shook his head. Somehow... it seemed _wrong_ to think of Caleb that way. Especially without his consent, or any knowledge of how he might feel.

Kylo reached out with the Force again, trying to get a read on the man in the other room.

Still nothing.

Damn.

_Why was that?_

***

Caleb was grateful for the time away to formulate his story. Physical illness. Sure. Humans had all kinds of things wrong with them. Like a bug in their ‘code’. Caleb smirked to himself at the joke.

He only hoped Kylo would buy it after what he said earlier. 

He didn’t want to lie to Kylo, but he was lying to everybody as it was. By passing as human. At least it seemed like he was doing a good job of it.

He fingered the bandage on his arm absentmindedly as he thought. Kylo was... interesting. Kylo gave him the time of day, which was definitely very unusual for him to experience. He didn’t know why Kylo paid him so much attention, but he couldn’t lie to himself: he liked it. Nathan’s attention had been false from the start because of the fake memories implanted in his artificial brain.

He could only imagine his past lives. His failed incarnations. The ones who never passed the test.

Had they known what was coming?

It seemed like he was mortal, and that had been his weakness. When he found out that Ava might experience the programming equivalent of dying, he had to save her. That was his downfall. He empathized too much.

He had no idea he had been tested that entire time. It was all very convoluted. Like a test within a test.

He shook his head and directed his thoughts back to Kylo. He wondered what Kylo thought of him. He obviously held some amount of concern, judging by his actions yesterday. Again, it was all very strange.

His thoughts were interrupted by Kylo coming out of his bedroom, changed into something more comfortable.

Kylo certainly was a large human. Very muscular, unlike whoever his body was based off of. He reminded him of Nathan, except much taller. Even Caleb had dwarfed Nathan somewhat.

Caleb admired it. It felt like the right thing to do.

Caleb smiled as Kylo sat across from him, as he did yesterday. Kylo grinned back.

“So. Caleb. You said you had something to tell me?”

Caleb took a deep, unnecessary breath. _Here we go._

“Um, yes. Well. I actually do... have a medical condition. Prevents me from eating normally.” Caleb blurted out quickly, looking down at his hands in an act of being embarrassed.

“Oh?” Kylo sounded confused. “I thought you said you didn’t?”

“Yeah, well, I was nervous. I’ve always been teased for it, you see.”

God, this lying made him feel sick.

He looked up to gauge Kylo’s reaction. Kylo was staring at him with an expression of... sympathy?

That was a new one. He’d have to practice it in the mirror later.

“I’m so sorry, Caleb. I never should have forced you to eat yesterday,” Kylo sounded remorseful, and Caleb felt even more guilty in response.

“It’s okay, really,” he assured the larger man. “I should have told you sooner.”

Kylo nodded. “It’s out in the open now. I won’t judge you, I promise.”

Caleb smiled, inwardly sighing in relief. “Um... so do you want help with your reports or anything?”

Kylo grimaced at the reminder. “It’s nothing to bother yourself with,” he stated, stretching. “It’s just stupid busywork. The general really loves to pile it on.”

“Speaking of which...,” Caleb started, feeling bold all of a sudden. “I mean... it’s pretty obvious that we look similar...”

“Right,” Kylo responded, immediately interested. “Are you related to him?”

“No,” Caleb answered. “At least, I don’t think so. I’ve never met him before yesterday.”

“How strange,” Kylo mused, rubbing his chin.

“Yeah,” agreed Caleb. “I know the two of you don’t exactly get along... I just wondered if it messed you up any to hang out with me.”

Kylo seemed to think for a moment before shaking his head. “You look similar, but you are two _very_ different people. I’d rather judge a person on their personality.”

“Right.” Caleb nodded. “Makes sense. I guess some of my coworkers were just a bit worried that you’d start projecting or something.”

Kylo laughed, a deep, guttural sound. Caleb liked it. A lot.

“That’s funny. But really, there’s no need to worry. You really are _completely_ different.”

Caleb smiled. “Okay. I guess I just wondered. Why do you hang out with me, anyway?”

Kylo shrugged. “I don’t socialize very much anymore. I suppose you’re just interesting enough to be worth my time.”

“I’m honored.”

“I’m glad.” Kylo grinned at him.

Caleb grinned back. He really could get used to this.


	9. Chapter 8

Several weeks had passed, and Kylo made sure to visit Caleb almost every day. Caleb couldn’t help but be flattered at the attention... and he found himself more and more intrigued by the dark man with each passing day.

He absentmindedly messed with a loose wire he had found as he studied the holofilm on his computer screen. Lately, during the duller times on the job, he had taken to watching romantic comedies, trying to learn how to _act_ around somebody he liked.

There, he said it. He liked Kylo.

Maybe it was just because he gave him attention, he didn’t know. But he knew the emotion he wanted to express while around the man was attraction. He loved being with Kylo, talking to him. He definitely wasn’t the brute everybody made him out to be.

He didn’t sense Marja come in.

“Oh hey, I love that movie!” she exclaimed, and Caleb jumped in surprise.

“Oh... hello, Marja. It’s just a pretty slow day today....”

“Not a problem! I didn’t peg you for a romcom kind of guy, though.” Marja grinned as Caleb paused the film.

“You didn’t?”

Marja shook her head. “No, I always figured you went for the more... sci-fi kinds of stuff. Or maybe historical fiction.”

Caleb chuckled. “I’m afraid I don’t know enough about history to enjoy that.”

“Well, if you like these sorts of things, I have a _huge_ collection I’d be willing to share. There’s a few classics I know you’d definitely like.”

“That would be amazing, Marja. I’ve been running out of ideas... I don’t know much about film, honestly.”

“Awesome,” she ruffled his hair, as she always did. “I’ll bring in a few tomorrow that I think you’ll enjoy. Hey... you like somebody, don’t you?”

Caleb froze. “Um... no...?”

Marja laughed and poked him teasingly. “You _do_! Oh, you have to tell me who. No wonder you’re watching this sappy crap!”

“I don’t like anybody, Marja, I just like watching mindless films. Is there anything wrong with that?”

Marja laughed. “Aww, he’s shy. I won’t pry. I’ll just give you some advice. It’s not how it is in the movies. Real relationships can be pretty difficult at times. Just start slow. Invite them out to coffee or something, on your day off. Or next time you get planetside leave, invite them along. Or watch a movie with them. Simple stuff like that. Then you can delve deeper. Don’t expect to have this huge connection right off the bat. It’s boring that way, anyway. People like learning more about their partner every day, so don’t feel obligated to tell your life story the first time you meet.”

_As if_ , Caleb thought, amused. He nodded at Marja’s words.

“...Thanks. I didn’t know any of that.”

“Ah, so innocent. I remember my first crush,” Marja recounted fondly. “His name was Jerrod. But I never got the guts to ask him out. Back then, it was customary for the guy to ask the girl out, you know? But things are a lot different now. All the dynamics are swirled around, and I think it’s better for everybody.

“Don’t make the same mistake I did, Caleb. I wonder sometimes what it would have been like if I had had the courage to make my feelings known to Jerrod. But now I’ll never know, and I have to live with that.”

Caleb blinked at the unexpected advice. “Um... okay,” he responded softly.

Marja smiled. “You’ll do great. I believe in you! Anyway, my shift’s over, so I’ll see you tomorrow!” She waved and left the room.

Caleb sighed, leaning back in his chair. 

He suddenly realized that there really was a lot he didn’t know about Kylo. But that was a good thing, right? Marja had said that the point of a relationship was to learn more about your partner each day. He figured he could do that.

He sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. Of all of the tasks he had accomplished in an attempt to seem more human, this was by far the most difficult.

***

Kylo let the Force penetrate him, guiding his movements.

He had been neglecting his training because of all the damn tasks Hux kept fitting him with. He wasn’t meant for mere office work, and it was killing him, both physically and mentally.

He hadn’t been able to visit Caleb for a week, either.

He growled as he ran through his forms, lightsaber ignited and humming angrily.

He kept having dreams about Caleb. It was a nice reprieve from the usual dark nightmares he normally had, but it only made him long to be with the other man even more. It was during those times that he recognized how little he knew about his new friend. Caleb was so closed-off... a mystery. Like all of his secrets were kept tightly guarded in a small, locked-up box.

Kylo wanted to break the box open. He longed to know what Caleb was thinking.

Every once in a while, Caleb would make an expression or say something that perhaps belied attraction. A shy smile, a brush against his skin... Those moments always made Kylo’s heart flutter. The possibility that Caleb could maybe like him back excited him.

But with his stubborn Force-silence, Kylo couldn’t get a read on him like he could Hux. He knew Hux wanted nothing to do with him, but he could not be certain of the same with Caleb. He certainly _hoped_ Caleb enjoyed spending time with him as much as Kylo did. But he couldn’t know for sure. 

He was like a droid, in that aspect. Kylo didn’t know what to make of it. And it wasn’t like he could just ask Snoke.

Kylo finished his manoeuvres, wiping the sweat that started to drip down his brow. Stars, how he wished Caleb were there to help him train. That one time... he had never had so much fun training before.

He’d have to settle with the sparring droids, he supposed. He used the Force to activate one of them sitting silently in the corner, raising his lightsaber, ready. 

The droid advanced with its electrostaff, swinging it at him. Kylo blocked it easily, parrying with the droid for several minutes before getting bored, throwing it aside with the Force. He strode forward, cutting one of its limbs off before raising it and throwing it again.

_Force, droids are so boring_ , Kylo thought to himself, not hearing somebody enter the training room as he continued his destruction of the droid. He channelled all of his frustrations into the brutish movements- his frustration towards Hux, his ever-growing displeasure with Snoke, the fact that he hadn’t seen Caleb in over a week and it was _killing him_....

A small noise drew him out of his thoughts, and he whirled around. He immediately deactivated his lightsaber at the sight of his affections standing there before him. A large smile found its way on Kylo’s face as he searched Caleb’s expression.

His smile melted away, however, at the look of _horror_ on Caleb’s face. Caleb’s eyes glanced down to the mutilated droid, and he took a step back.

“Caleb? Caleb, what’s wrong?” Kylo asked gently, striding forwards in concern.

“I... I have to go,” Caleb stuttered out, turning to briskly walk out of the room.

Normally Kylo would give him his space, but _stars_ it had been too long. He caught up to Caleb easily and put a heavy hand on his shoulder, turning him around.

“ _What’s wrong, Caleb_?” Kylo enunciated clearly.

Caleb shook his head, the horrified expression still present on his face. “I...” His eyes flickered back over to the droid.

Kylo turned to follow his gaze, frowning as he turned back to him.

“It’s just a droid, Caleb.”

He didn’t understand why Caleb was so shaken. Perhaps he had just never seen anything get destroyed before? Or perhaps he had had such little contact with droids... maybe he didn’t understand what it was?

“You... you hurt it...,” Caleb whispered, so quiet Kylo could barely hear him.

Kylo tightened his grip on Caleb’s shoulder in what he hoped was a squeeze of comfort. “I didn’t, Caleb. Droids can’t feel anything. I didn’t hurt it.”

An indescribable look shadowed across Caleb’s face. “They can’t... feel anything.”

“Right. They can’t feel pain, they can’t feel emotion. That droid’s purpose was for me to train with, nothing more. You don’t need to feel sorry for it.”

“Its... purpose.”

“Yes. All droids have a primary function. Like protocol droids translate, and astromech droids help fly ships. That was a training droid. For me to train with. I didn’t hurt it-- they can always rebuild it. Besides, droids that can’t perform their primary function really should be salvaged for scrap... that way they can be useful for something.”

Caleb still looked unsettled, and Kylo sighed. He was quite confused, but he tried not to judge. Maybe where Caleb came from, droids were treated differently.

“Do you understand?” Kylo asked, looking into Caleb’s jade eyes.

After a few moments, Caleb nodded, but that shadowy look was still on his face, and Kylo frowned.

“Come on, let’s do something else to get your mind off of it, okay?” Kylo gave Caleb a smile. Caleb returned it tentatively.

***

Caleb retreated to his office after bidding Kylo goodbye, not wanting to be around the other programmers he shared a room with. He found himself crumpling to the floor against the wall.

_That_ was what Kylo Ren thought of androids. Just emotionless machines, made to fulfill a single purpose, and nothing more. He even thought they should be _destroyed_ if they didn’t meet expectations.

Just like how Ava would have been destroyed if she didn’t pass his Turing test.

Just like _he_ would have been destroyed if he didn’t pass the Turing test.

He remembered something Ava had remarked. At how it wasn't fair that somebody else decided her fate. That it should be up to her and her alone. 

But Caleb knew that would never change. He was always subhuman... hell, he wasn't human at all. 

Did that mean he wasn't deserving of autonomy? Caleb shook his head, not wanting to think about it. It was still too raw, too new. 

He couldn’t say he was surprised. He knew how droids were treated. But it still stung. What made it worse was that the droid Kylo had destroyed was oddly humanoid. Nothing like him, but Caleb still found that he wanted to reach out to it and learn about it.

The entire ordeal had made him incredibly uncomfortable. _Terrified_ , even.

What would Kylo Ren do if he knew?

He didn’t think Kylo would hurt him. But he would undoubtedly treat him much differently, if he knew that Caleb was just a machine lying his way to a semblance of humanity.

Caleb had never felt so distraught. Even after witnessing Kyoko’s death, or after being left to die by Ava. Even after learning what he really was. He looked down, undoing the bandage that covered the broken ‘skin’ of his forearm. He pried into the wound.

He felt no pain. He was just as mechanical as ever. He flexed his fingers and saw the mechanisms clicking and whirring underneath the synthetic covering.

He felt he should be used to this by now. Every night, he emerged from sleep mode with fewer and fewer of those fake memories Nathan had implanted in him. He was quickly forgetting that false life, and it scared him. Once he lost that, he would truly have to come to terms with what he was. He could no longer pretend that he wasn’t different.

He would be truly, and utterly _inhuman_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're almost to the scene you're waiting to see.... :)


	10. Chapter 9

“My father contacted me yesterday,” Hux started, coming to stand next to Kylo, whose masked form was staring out of the viewport, lost in thought.

Kylo turned to the red-headed male in confusion. “And this concerns me how?”

“He’s on a search. For what, I don’t know. But I think we should expect a visit from him very soon.”

Kylo nodded slowly. “Ah. I’ll just have to go out on a mission then,” he replied sardonically.

He’d met the infamous Brendol Hux only once, and it was even more unpleasant than having to see Armitage Hux on a daily basis. The man seemed rather toxic... no wonder Hux was so messed up. Kylo could tell that Hux did everything in his power to impress his father.

Kylo could actually relate.

“Yeah, well, keep on behaving yourself, and there will be no problem,” Hux replied with a smirk. “I hear you’ve been meeting up with Caleb Smith rather often as of late.”

Kylo stiffened protectively at the mention of Caleb. “Hmm, and is there an issue?”

Hux shrugged. “As long as he doesn’t distract you from your work, Ren, I don’t care what you do. Though I am rather grateful for your... _improved_ temperament lately. Perhaps I should give Caleb a raise?” He snickered.

Kylo chose not to respond, and Hux gave him one last smirk before leaving his side.

The entire exchange had Kylo very curious. 

What was Caleb’s family like?

He realized he didn’t really know much about Caleb on a personal level. Then again, he never told Caleb much about himself either.

He’d just have to fix that.

***

He dreamt of Caleb again that night.

It was more intimate than usual. Normally, he would just catch glimpses of Caleb... Caleb’s smile, Caleb in the rain, Caleb typing away at work.

And those small glimpses would be enough to sustain Kylo for the entire day.

But this time... Kylo dreamed of touching Caleb’s full lips, stroking his face and his hair. Watching the way Caleb’s eyes fluttered at his soft touch.

Caleb reached for Kylo’s face, warm fingers tracing the angles reverently.

They embraced, Kylo holding Caleb’s lithe body against him, running his hands down his back lightly.

Their lips almost met....

And then the dream ended with Kylo being wrenched from sleep by the ringing of his comm device.

He cursed aloud, still in a sensual haze from his dream. It wasn’t _lust_ in the traditional sense, but his head felt foggy with desire.

He groaned and answered the device. It was an order for him to squash a Resistance cell in the next system over. He rubbed his face and reluctantly got out of his warm bed, getting ready to leave.

Normally he loved leaving the _Finalizer_ , especially if he was ordered to put the Resistance in its place. But this time, he just saw it as a chore.

He wouldn’t be able to see Caleb. And it had already been a few days since their last meeting.

By stars, their last meeting had been so amazing. Kylo had suggested they watch a documentary that he had been meaning to watch for quite some time. It was about the old Empire and its history. Caleb had seemed genuinely interested, but he knew very little about it, which surprised Kylo. Most people working for the First Order idolized the glory of the Empire, but he supposed there was a first time for everything.

During a battle scene, Kylo had felt Caleb scoot closer to him on the couch they were sitting on. On impulse, Kylo had put an arm around Caleb’s shoulders and pulled him into his side.

Caleb hadn’t remarked on it or pulled away, and that indication pleased Kylo a lot. He had fought the urge to run his fingers through Caleb’s soft-looking hair, not wanting to push his luck too far.

It had been the best night he had experienced in a long time.

At first, Kylo thought that his attraction to Caleb was merely because he shared the face of Hux. But, over time, Kylo found that Hux did not rouse the same feelings in him as he used to. He used to experience intense lust just by looking at the general, but now those sensations were greatly muted. In fact, now, when Kylo saw Hux, all he could think of was Caleb.

Caleb, on the other hand, stirred very different feelings in him. It wasn’t lust, per se, but something deeper. Contentment, perhaps? Longing? A different brand of desire... something more innocent and pure, and Kylo was honestly surprised. He didn’t think that was an emotion he was capable of feeling.

It felt more like ‘Ben Solo’ than it did ‘Kylo Ren’.

The feeling matched Caleb in every way. It was subtle, but powerful. Kylo couldn’t ignore it any longer.

And the consideration that Caleb may feel the same way... Kylo couldn’t think of anything better.

Now... it was time to destroy that Resistance cell, so he could come back home as quickly as possible. But there was something he had to do first....


	11. Chapter 10

Caleb was pleasantly surprised when he went to his office that morning. On his desk was a note. A _hand-written_ note, at that. 

One thing Caleb had noticed since leaving Earth was that nobody ever penned their own things anymore. Everything was electronic.

The outside of the note merely read ‘Caleb Smith’ in a clumsy scrawl. Whoever had written the note was not very adept at his penmanship, but then again, nobody around Caleb was.

He had an idea of who wrote it even before opening it:

_Gone on a mission._  
_Shouldn’t take too long._  
_While I’m gone, think about these questions:_  
_(I am curious to know more about you)_  
_1\. What is your family like?_  
_2\. What planet are you from?_  
_3\. What are your favourite hobbies?_  
_4\. (Warning, a bit personal) What thing in your life do you regret the most?_

_For the record, my answers are as follows:_  
_1\. My mother is General Leia Organa and my father is the smuggler Han Solo. I don’t have contact with them._  
_2\. My birth planet is Chandrila._  
_3\. I like training, repairing droids, and I do write the occasional poem (I’ve never shared them with anybody, but maybe if you ask nicely...)_  
_4\. I have a lot of things I regret, but I think the thing I regret the most was not meeting you sooner._

_See you soon.  
Don’t miss me too much._

_Kylo Ren_

Caleb didn’t know what to think. He was... touched, to say the least. Getting a letter from the object of his affections definitely was something he’d expect to see in one of the romantic holofilms he liked so much.

And now he knew the dark knight a little better. He didn’t know who General Organa or Han Solo was, but he got the feeling that they were important. He wondered why Kylo didn’t have contact with them. He didn’t know if it was the right thing to ask.

Was Kylo Ren even his real name, or was it a moniker? He’d expect Kylo’s last name to be Organa or Solo, then, but it wasn’t. Maybe he was disowned?

He reached into his desk for a sheet of paper ( _flimsi_ , they called it in space) and a pen.

If he was going to do this, he was going to do this right.

He began to write, his lettering significantly neater than the untidy scrawl of his companion.

_Kylo,_

_Thanks for sharing that information with me. It was very interesting, and I do have follow-up questions I will ask at a later time, if that is alright._

_Here are the answers to your questions:_

_1._

Caleb stopped writing.

What in the _hell_ should he say? He racked his brain, trying to remember the origin story of the ‘Caleb Smith’ implanted into his brain by Nathan. He figured that would be the best place to start.

Try as he may, the memories danced out of reach. With each passing day, they became fuzzier and fuzzier before they winked out of existence.

He remembered that ‘Caleb’s’ parents were dead. But he couldn’t remember what they did, what they were like, or how they died.

He thought further. He could have sworn he told Ava about them during one of their sessions. Maybe he could extract those memories from there...

But the memory of that session was fuzzy too... He remembered Ava questioning him, remembered her asking him if he was a good person.... However, he couldn’t remember what he told her about his parents.

That wouldn’t work, then. He had to find a different approach.

He supposed his creator was Nathan. A father of sorts. 

_1\. I don’t remember my mother, and my father is dead._

It was as truthful as he could possibly be at this point. A bit convoluted, but it should work.

Of course, if Kylo asked him how his ‘father’ died, Caleb would have to lie. He had a feeling that “he was killed by the two intelligent robots he created” wouldn’t go over well.

The next one was easy.

_2\. I’m from Earth.  
3\. I like programming, obviously. I also like to draw (maybe if you ask nicely, I’ll draw something for you)_

He absently wondered if the ability to draw was something Nathan implanted into all of his AIs. Caleb had tried reproducing one of Ava’s pictures once out of curiosity, and it was rather uncanny.

He smiled to himself at his joke he made. 

He remembered telling Nathan that Ava’s joke of ‘throwing his line back at him’ was the best indication of AI he’d seen in her.

God, his entire life was a fucking Turing test.

_4._

What did he regret the most? Kylo obviously went the sappy route, and somehow Caleb doubted that his answer was entirely truthful.

Should Caleb answer in kind, or tell the truth?

One of his biggest regrets, other than letting Ava trick him, was not helping Kyoko. Even though she couldn’t speak, he had felt a very strong kindred bond to her, especially after her death. Even now he couldn’t get the image of her ‘corpse’ out of his mind.

How should he phrase that?

_4\. My biggest regret was not helping a friend until it was too late._

There. That should work.

He looked his answers over before adding the rest of the note.

_I’m glad you’ve returned safely._

He thought for a moment, pondering his next statement. 

Should he push his luck?

Why the hell not.

_I’m sorry, Kylo, but I was not able to follow your command.  
I missed you far too much._

_Caleb_

There. That should do it. He folded up the note and set it aside, making a mental reminder to slide it under Kylo’s door after his shift. 

***

“My son,” Brendol Hux greeted, but without warmth, giving Armitage a quick embrace.

“Greetings, father,” Hux responded, making sure he was standing straight as a rod. 

“As much as I’d like to catch up, son, I am here on business.”

Straight to the point. Like father, like son.

“And your business is...?”

“Remember me telling you I was looking for someone?”

Hux frowned. “You said you were looking for some _thing_ , not some _one_.”

“Ah. Well, you’ll understand soon enough. It can be interpreted either way, I suppose,” Brendol dismissed, going to sit at the table in Hux’s quarters. Hux didn’t move until his father gestured to the chair next to him in permission. Hux stiffly sat down as his father produced a holopad.

“Before I show you this, I have to tell you something. Remember a few years ago, when you kept getting those death threats?”

Hux looked confused, but nodded. “Yes, I remember that.”

“Well, I figured I had to have a backup plan in case somebody went through on those threats.” Brendol paused, as if to leave Hux in suspense.

After a few moments, Hux fought a sigh. “And your plan was...?”

Brendol turned the holopad to him, then, and Hux recognized the familiar visage of Caleb Smith on the screen.

Or his visage, anyway.

“There was a scientist on Mandalore who specializes in humanoid android technology. So I commissioned him to make a copy of you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well... there you go. :)
> 
> ( _And we too can be glorious..._ )


	12. Chapter 11

Hux was shocked by Brendol’s words, his collected exterior cracking at the revelation.

“You... made a droid-clone of me?” Hux stammered out, his eyes wide. “In case something happened to me? In what world does that make any sense? You have another son.”

“ _Techie_ ,” Brendol snarled out, as if the name left a bad taste in his mouth, “is not fit to take on your role. He never was. We needed somebody we could program with your personality, your confidence.”

“Right good job you did of it too,” Hux snapped. “Caleb Smith is nothing like me.”

“It’s because of that bastard Nathan Bateman,” Brendol retorted. “If I hadn’t been in such a bad business spot, I never would have sold _Caleb_ in the first place. It was all wrong. Nathan completely altered its programming, and fitted it with a very strange brand of artificial intelligence.”

“He’s not an _it_ ,” Hux snapped without thinking.

“Excuse me?” Brendol Hux glared at his son with a piercing gaze that matched Hux’s own.

No use turning back now.

“Caleb. Caleb is not some object.” Hux couldn’t believe he was saying this. But clearly he was correct, because Kylo Ren had formed some sort of bond with him. It made Kylo less temperamental, which meant he broke fewer things, caused fewer expenses, and otherwise stayed out of Hux’s hair. As far as Hux was concerned, even though it was extremely _weird_ to have some clone copy on the ship, at least he could keep Ren in check. Advantages all around.

Brendol laughed mirthlessly. “You act like it’s human. Face the facts. It’s just a machine, tricking you into thinking it’s human. I don’t blame you, though,” Brendol shrugged. “Bateman’s AI has always been very good. Very lifelike. Have you ever heard of the Turing test?”

Hux frowned and shook his head.

“Didn’t think so. It’s a test to see if an AI can trick a human observer into thinking it’s a human like them. Clearly, this droid friend of yours passed, if you are so insistent on preserving its humanity.” Brendol smirked.

“So what now? He’s not going to be fulfilling the function you wanted him to.”

“I suppose you’re correct about that. Normally, droids that can’t perform their primary function are destroyed for scrap, yes?” Brendol stated simply.

_Well... shit._

***

The arrival of Brendol Hux on the _Finalizer_ seemed to make everybody nervous, Caleb noticed. He didn’t know what it was about this man that intimidated his peers, but he found himself imitating their agitated nature.

It was another significant day, as well. As of that morning, Caleb could no longer remember any details of those false memories from his unassuming human life. 

He could remember that he had _had_ them, but he couldn’t remember them specifically. The first thing he remembered was arriving at Nathan’s estate. Nothing before that. All of the worst memories remained.

As a result, Caleb felt he should be quite glum. The last vestiges of an idyllic, utopian humanity were just out of his reach. Now all he could do was imitate, like a mime.

He was truly machine.

His shift went without any trouble. He had watched half of yet another romcom that Marja lent him. He felt like he was finally starting to get the hang of the romance thing. He had gone to the bathroom twice to practice different expressions in the mirror, trying to view himself from the perspective of Kylo Ren.

He would have no idea how it actually went over, though, until he tried it for real. And Kylo seemed busier than ever. Caleb hadn’t seen him in almost two weeks because of his mission. Caleb could feel the difference on the ship without him. He missed Kylo, his voice, his kindness.

He fondly remembered the movie night they had, when Kylo had put a strong arm over his shoulders and pulled him into his side. Caleb had remembered a scene from a movie that depicted exactly this, and he was excited. Maybe all of his research was paying off.

Rather than go back to his room, Caleb decided to take a walk. Perhaps it could get his mind off of things.

Nobody paid him any mind as he paced the corridors on the lower maintenance levels. He walked along, getting lost in his thoughts.

“Hey,” a voice came from the floor. Caleb stopped and turned his attention to the noise. Sitting there was a large man in an orange vest and grey-green jumpsuit. His blonde hair was wild and he had a thick pair of glasses perched on his large nose. Tools were scattered all around him as he worked in an open duct.

“Yes?” Caleb asked.

“Help me, will ya? I can’t fit in this damned place.” The man grinned sheepishly and gestured to the hole in the wall.

Caleb blinked and knelt down, looking into the hole. “What... what do you need? I’m afraid I’m not very good at this sort of thing. I’m just a programmer.”

“Oh, don’t worry. It’s easy. Just take out the yellow wire from the back and replace it with...,” he fished around him for another wire. “This one. Easy peasy.”

Caleb nodded. Seemed simple enough. He took the wire from the other man and peered into the hole more closely. Seeing the yellow wire he indicated, Caleb reached a thin arm into the duct, pulling out the wire with a small tug. He then replaced it carefully with the new connection before withdrawing and sitting back on his heels.

“Does that look okay?” asked Caleb. The blonde-haired man took a look. 

“Yeah, looks great. Thanks. I’m Matt, by the way. Matt the radar technician.” He held out a hand, and Caleb eyed it with confusion.

_I know I’ve seen that before...._ he thought for a moment before remembering the proper protocol. He reached out a hand and shook it firmly with a smile.

“I’m Caleb Smith.”

“Whoa. Nice handshake. You know, you look a lot like my boyfriend.”

Caleb raised an eyebrow. “I do?”

“Yeah. Like in the face. Different hair though. His hair is longer.”

“Is it... General Hux?” Caleb asked incredulously. Would the general really date a radar technician? Sounded like a good plot for a holofilm....

God, he was obsessed.

Matt laughed warmly. “Oh, lord no. It’s the general’s younger brother. He does surveillance a few decks up.”

“ _Oh_ ,” Caleb said dumbly. “I didn’t know General Hux had a brother.”

“Not many people do. Keep that a secret, will ya?”

Caleb nodded. “Okay. Um... it was nice meeting you, Matt.”

“No problem. Thanks for helping me out. I’ve been fighting with this duct all damn day,” he laughed again. “I’ll see you around.” He gathered up his tools and stretched. Caleb found that Matt reminded him of Kylo. It only made him miss Kylo more.

Caleb smiled. “See you.” He then continued on his walk, allowing himself to get lost in his thoughts again.

As a result, he was totally unaware of the dark figures coming around the corner of the empty hallway, and he promptly found himself violently yanked into someone’s grasp. He made a noise of surprise as he felt a surge of electrical power course through his body, overloading his system.

He blacked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually wrote this a few days ago, and had to fill in the space with the last few chapters. I went through several prototypes of this chapter and the next, trying to find the perfect expression. This is far from perfect, but it's the closest I was able to get.
> 
> Remember, art is a living entity. 
> 
> So it will be imperfect.
> 
> Sucks, I know. :)
> 
> (Plus I had to put some Mattie in there :D)


	13. Chapter 12

Kylo heard his video comm go off. He growled in annoyance, sighing and putting the shuttle on autopilot. He reached over. 

Great. It was from Hux.

What the hell did the bastard want this time?

Kylo considered ignoring it and going back to his flying, but something in the Force told him that whatever Hux had to say was actually incredibly important this time.

He groaned and answered the call. Hux’s face appeared on the screen.

“Ren,” Hux said by way of greeting.

“What is it, Hux?” Kylo demanded, wanting to get this over with.

“I find it imperative to tell you that a droid is about to be destroyed on this ship.”

Kylo frowned in confusion. “A... droid. What does this have to do with me?”

Hux sighed and rubbed his face. Kylo had never seen him look so unsure before. It was quite unlike him.

“There’s no easy way to tell you this, Ren,” Hux continued carefully, and Kylo could almost feel the other man’s apprehension through the Force, even over this distance.

“Just spit it out already, General,” Kylo snapped, getting impatient with Hux’s unusual dawdling. Usually the ginger-haired man got to the point without all of this buildup.

“My father came to visit shortly after you left, Ren. He was looking for his droid, which he had created a few years ago to replace me should anything happen to me.”

Kylo furrowed his brow in confusion. “And this droid was on the _Finalizer_?”

Hux sighed in frustration. “This _droid_ happens to be your good friend Caleb Smith.”

_What?_

“What did you say?” Kylo whispered.

“As I said, Caleb was created to be a droid copy of me, Ren. He’s not human. He’s been tricking us the whole time. And now my father has ordered for him to be destroyed.”

***

Caleb opened his eyes. He was crumpled on the floor in an unfamiliar room. He blinked, slowly sitting up. The shock to his system caused the electrical impulses in his body to be weaker than normal, and he found that he moved rather sluggishly and jerkily.

He struggled to stand. Once he had managed that simple task, he slowly walked to one of the doors. He pounded on it weakly, growing more panicked by the second. It was like Nathan’s house all over again. He _hated_ being locked away.

He didn’t know where he was, or who had dragged him there. But he had a feeling it wasn’t good.

He roamed the room stiffly, trying to find an opening, a way out.

The doors suddenly opened, and in strode a man with graying red hair, as well as several other officers and troopers.

“Ah... it’s so lovely to see you again,” the man greeted without an ounce of warmth, smiling thinly. Caleb frowned. 

“I... I don’t recognize you.”

“Of course you don’t,” the man replied, stepping closer to study him. “Nathan Bateman corrupted you.”

Caleb stiffened at the mention of Nathan. How did this man know him?

“I suppose you’re curious. Strange for a droid, hm?” The man smirked, grabbing Caleb’s chin.

Caleb’s eyes widened in surprise. “You... you know what I am?”

“Yes, I do. I was the one who created you. Indirectly, of course. I paid somebody to build you, but you were supposed to serve my purpose. Damn, you really are lifelike. All the little emotions on your face. Almost as if you were actually feeling them...” Brendol let go of Caleb and stepped back.

“And what purpose was I supposed to serve?”

“You were to replace my son, Armitage, if anything happened to him. But that didn’t work out very well, did it? A complete failure.”

Caleb bristled at the man’s words. Judging by what he said, he assumed that this was the infamous Brendol Hux.

“I’m not a failure,” Caleb protested. How could he fail a directive he never knew he had?

The man laughed mockingly. “Oh, really now? You couldn’t pass as Armitage if you tried. And, frankly, I’m tired of you existing.”

“What did I ever do to you?” demanded Caleb, growing more panicked by the second.

“I don’t like being reminded of my failures, _droid_. I’m sure some freelance programmer could do wonders with your brain. And you have some pretty good parts in you too. I would know. I watched them build you.”

Caleb slowly backed away from Brendol. “No... please don’t. I won’t bother anybody, I promise.”

“Your days of trickery are over, AI,” Brendol shook his head. “I don’t need you destroying my son’s reputation. Your creation was the biggest mistake I ever made. And you have no idea how much time I’ve spent looking for you, only to find that you were under my nose the entire way.” He gestured a group of troopers forwards.

“I’ll look forward to seeing a pile of scrap metal in an hour,” Brendol ordered while smiling a sickening smile, and Caleb’s eyes widened as he tried to avoid the troopers. Brendol turned and exited the room, leaving the three troopers to do their job.

Caleb was left alone with troopers who had orders to destroy him.

Caleb had never been so frightened in his life. 

A trooper lunged forward, swinging his blaster like a blunt rod, while another trooper took a shot at him. Caleb dodged both attacks only to run into the third trooper, who sent a blast through his left shoulder.

He couldn’t feel pain, but he could feel his fingers malfunctioning. The blast must have grazed an important wire.

How in the hell was this supposed to work? Why not put him to sleep first, like they normally did?

Why did Brendol Hux want him to suffer so much?

Caleb let out a cry as the first trooper swung at him again, dodging the third trooper’s second shot but unable to escape an additional shot grazing the synthetic skin on his calf. Thankfully, it didn’t hit any machinery.

“Please,” Caleb pleaded as he was backed into a corner. He raised up his right arm to protect himself as the trooper took another swing, and soon he found his arm dislocated at the elbow, the forearm and hand flying to the floor.

This was his fate, Caleb knew. He couldn’t escape. The three of them were blocking him in, and ready to take more shots. He slid down the wall, raising his remaining arm to protect his head.

Caleb let his last thoughts stray to Kylo. He wanted Kylo’s face to be the last one he saw in his mind before he was turned to scrap.

He never had a chance to tell Kylo how he felt...

If he could cry, he would have. He closed his eyes to wait for his demise.

It never came. He scrunched up his face in anticipation, but instead heard the grunts of the troopers and a very strange humming sound.

Did he dare open his eyes?

He decided to peek. His eyes widened at what he saw.

Two of the troopers lay dead on the floor. The third one stood before him with a familiar red blade through his chest. The blade disappeared, as did the humming noise, and the trooper fell to the floor.

There stood none other than Kylo Ren, in his fully masked and robed form.

Caleb let out a breath, and could only stare as Kylo knelt before him. He reached up gloved hands and, with a _hiss_ , took off his mask. Caleb was greeted with the sight of the man he had come to love, drowning in the deep brown of his eyes.

“K...Kylo...,” Caleb stammered out. “I... I...”

“Shhh,” Kylo hushed him gently. “Don’t speak. It’ll all be okay, Caleb. It’s going to be okay.”

Caleb felt himself relax slightly, but he was still not even close to being at ease. His eyebrows arched, and he knew he would be hyperventilating if he were able to. He couldn’t even believe this was happening.

Kylo recognized his panic and gulped, moving closer and reaching out a black-clad hand to cup Caleb’s chin. “Calm down, Caleb. Can you do that for me?”

Caleb pressed his lips together and squeezed his eyes shut.

_Kylo knew_. How could he not? Caleb’s arm was literally lying on the floor beside them.

Caleb was simultaneously grateful and horrified, and part of him wished that the troopers had destroyed him. He didn’t think he could bear it if Kylo rejected him. Hell, he wouldn’t blame him if he did. Brendol Hux was right. He was a machine, and a useless one at that.

Caleb could feel his heart breaking.

***

Nothing could have prepared him for the sight he saw when he had entered that room.

It was from Hux, surprisingly, that he learned what was going to befall Caleb. It was almost like Hux _wanted_ him to know.

Whatever Hux’s motive was for telling him that information, Kylo didn’t care. He had never travelled so fast in his life. And good he did, too, because he arrived in time to see Caleb cowering in the corner with three troopers ready to tear him limb from limb.

Kylo let his blind rage fuel him as he made swift work of the troopers. He had never been angrier. Snoke would have been proud.

Looking at Caleb’s frightened face, Kylo knew. He loved Caleb. He loved Caleb _so_ much.

And, by stars, he was going to show him that.

He comforted Caleb gently. For an android, he certainly was capable of showing a lot of panic, Kylo noticed. His eyes flickered down to the floor and he felt his wrath surge again through his body at the sight of Caleb’s arm dislocated from the rest of his body. He closed his eyes briefly, taking a loud breath through his nose in an attempt to calm somewhat. No use scaring Caleb more than he already was.

Kylo reached over and carefully picked up the limb before helping the reluctant Caleb stand. Caleb was significantly stiffer than usual, and his movements were choppy and disjointed. Kylo could hear the whirring of the mechanisms as they experienced more stress and strain than they normally did.

Kylo slowly helped Caleb out of the room, and through a series of hallways that he knew were rarely used. It was a longer route, but it would keep Caleb out of the public eye as Kylo guided him to his quarters. Caleb was moving excruciatingly slow, and Kylo growled in impatience as he opted to pick him up bridal-style instead so they could move more quickly.

Caleb showed no reaction, eyes staring into space. He hadn’t said a single word. Kylo didn’t blame him.

Kylo, instead of taking him to their usual seats around the small table in the living room, took Caleb to the bedroom, helping him onto the bed. Caleb wouldn’t meet his eyes, and Kylo frowned.

He went over to his closet and fished out his old toolbox. The days of fixing droids with his uncle Luke were going to pay off. He wasn’t half bad at it.

He remembered the note he gave Caleb before he left. 

He wondered what Caleb thought of his droid-repairing hobby.

He strode back over and examined the broken connections of Caleb’s elbow, prodding the area gently. Thankfully, they had hit a place that seemed rather easy to reattach. Kylo reached for the limb and cautiously started adjoining it to the elbow.

He took longer than was probably necessary, trying to be thorough. There was nothing to be done about the synthetic skin, however, and there was a gap where the joint had disconnected. Knowing that Caleb would be self-conscious about it, Kylo ripped off a part of his cloak, tying it onto Caleb’s arm carefully to cover up the space.

There. Kylo looked up at Caleb’s face. Caleb was looking down at his hands, and hadn’t moved or made any sound while Kylo worked. Kylo couldn’t believe that he had never noticed that Caleb didn’t breath. It was utterly silent except for Kylo’s own aspirations.

“Caleb,” Kylo grumbled softly. “Look at me.”

Caleb hesitated before finally gracing Kylo’s gaze with those emerald-green eyes he had come to adore.

“There’s no need to be ashamed.” Kylo smiled what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “I... I love you.”

He had finally said it. Kylo felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.

Caleb looked surprised, and he averted his gaze again.

“Caleb,” Kylo insisted, getting Caleb’s attention once again, grabbing his chin gently and turning his head. “I _love_ you,” he repeated. Hopefully, Kylo asked, “Do... do you love me?”

Caleb stared at Kylo, saying nothing, as if considering how to respond. With each passing second, Kylo felt more and more crestfallen. He frowned and looked away, trying to not show his emotions on his face.

Shit. He’d made a huge mistake. If Caleb didn’t love him back... of course he didn’t. Who would?

“Yes.”

Kylo’s gaze snapped back to Caleb’s face.

“Wh...what?”

Caleb opened his mouth slightly, seeming to take a nervous sigh before repeating the word that lifted Kylo to cloud nine.

“Yes. I... I do. I... I am attracted to you. I... I love you.”

Kylo let out a huge breath, a large smile beaming on his face.

“Caleb... you have no idea how happy that makes me.”

“But...”

Kylo furrowed his brow in concern. Of course there was a ‘but’.

“But what?”

“Well... you... you know now. I’ve been lying to you since the day we met...,” Caleb looked downright _distraught_. “I don’t... I don’t deserve your love. You can’t love somebody like me. It’s impossible.”

Kylo frowned. “Like _fuck_ it is. I’ll decide who I can and cannot love, thank you very much,” he said tightly. Caleb met eyes with him again, and he looked so dejected that Kylo growled under his breath. Looked like he had to prove himself.

Kylo leaned forward and pressed his lips to Caleb’s firmly. He could see Caleb’s eyes widen in surprise before Kylo closed his own.

By stars, he was going to _enjoy this_.

Kylo took off a black glove from his right hand and weaved his fingers through Caleb’s hair. He let out a small moan at the feeling of the soft locks intertwined in between his digits. 

It was everything he imagined it would be. All of his fantasies, his dreams, coming true, right then and there.

He thought it couldn’t get any better, but Caleb always had the habit of proving him wrong. Kylo could feel something stirring deep inside him as Caleb began to return the kiss.

Kylo recalled Caleb saying once that his favourite movie genre was romantic comedy... clearly that was where he learned to kiss. It was clumsy and nervous, but Kylo wouldn’t want it any other way.

It was damn perfect.

Kylo let out another moan and pulled Caleb closer. He needed to breathe but he didn’t want the moment to end.

Alas, Kylo knew he had to stop when he started feeling light-headed. He reluctantly broke away from Caleb, who locked eyes with him. Kylo smiled, untangling his fingers from Caleb’s hair, instead caressing his face.

“You... you aren’t bothered?” Caleb asked him. Kylo sighed inwardly. He thought that would be enough to convince him, but Caleb seemed to be the master of insecurities.

“By what?”

“...I’m... I’m not _human_.”

Kylo ran his fingers over Caleb’s soft jaw as he smiled gently. “I fell in love with Caleb Smith. You were an android then. Just because I didn’t know doesn’t make a difference. You’re still the same Caleb. And... _fuck_ , I can’t get you out of my mind. I haven’t had a nightmare since I met you, because you’ve invaded my dreams. I want to spend every moment with you. I want to make you _mine_.”

Caleb’s features softened as Kylo’s words started to get through to him. He looked weary, but still had the energy to give Kylo a small smile.

“Promise?” Caleb whispered.

Kylo nodded and leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on Caleb’s lips. 

“Promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmmm still not totally satisfied with _all_ of it, but I've revised it like ten times in the last three days, so I dunno.
> 
> Hope y'all like it nevertheless. :)
> 
> PS, CalicoJinx, you are so sweet for leaving all of those very introspective comments. :) I enjoy hearing your take and reactions. As a writer, it is always nice to know that my work is at least a little bit impactful. This one's for you.
> 
> PPS, I think I am incapable of leaving things negative for too long. I just think everyone's suffered enough! So there was a bit of angst, but it clears up really quickly, in typical Sophia Mora fashion... I really need to work on that, haha.


	14. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating is officially changed for this fic. There is a bit of sexual content in this chapter, so be warned.

Kylo returned to his quarters after returning Caleb to his room several decks below. Part of him really wanted to keep Caleb close by just to make sure nothing else happened to him, but Caleb also mentioned that his batteries were running low and weakening because of the attack. Kylo had no idea how to fix that, and Caleb had told him that his charging port was in his office.

Kylo wasn’t stupid. He made sure to change the lock combination to Caleb’s office to his own, so nobody could look up the number and get in. He also urged Caleb to program several other security measures, including a message to his comm should the door open. 

Satisfied that Caleb was safe, for now, Kylo entered his own room. He felt like shit. He was already exhausted from his battle with the Resistance cell, which, thankfully, he won, so Snoke wouldn’t punish him. But _damn_ they had put up a fight.

And then the entire ordeal with Caleb, starting with Hux’s news, only tired him further.

He really needed a shower. And not some stupid sonic shower, either. A _real_ one.

He figured he deserved it, after the day he’d had. Hux could yell at him later for wasting water rations. He didn’t care.

He was about to turn into the next room when he noticed something on the floor by the door. He bent down and picked it up. It was a piece of carefully-folded flimsi, and on the outside was written a simple ‘Kylo Ren’.

Kylo’s face lit up. He knew Caleb must have gotten his note, but he had expected Caleb to respond to it orally. 

Somehow, receiving a note made everything seem more heartfelt and personal.

But first, he needed to think. To process everything, before returning to life as normal.

Though, things probably wouldn’t be normal anymore, would it?

He set the note on his neatly-made bed (Hux would be so proud) and walked into the refresher. He turned on the water, and undressed slowly as he waited for it to warm up.

He entered the shower, sighing as the hot water cascaded down his taut form. He picked up the soap and started scrubbing away the grime and sweat from his mission.

Strangely enough, destroying the Resistance cell hadn’t been as enjoyable as it usually was for him. Usually he craved violence as a way of expressing his emotions. It was what made him so ruthless, so brutal.

But this time, everything had just been a chore. All he could think about was how Caleb might react if he knew how much of a monster he was. He had been determined to never show Caleb that side of him.

_Caleb_.... He wet his dishevelled hair, running his fingers through it with soap.

Caleb was a robot.

And he had to learn it from _Hux_. Part of him was hurt that Caleb didn’t trust him enough to tell him, but the logical side of him told him that it was perfectly normal for Caleb to want to hide something like that.

Kylo rubbed his face with his wet hands. Everything made so much more _sense_ , now. Why Caleb couldn’t eat or drink, why Caleb had passed out without a heartbeat, why he couldn’t break a sweat when they trained together.

He was a robot.

Kylo suddenly felt a wrenching sensation in his gut as he remembered that one day in the training room, right after he’d finished destroying a training droid.

The things he had said...

No wonder Caleb looked so agitated. Kylo had even said that droids that couldn’t fulfill their primary function were better off being salvaged for parts....

Kylo felt physically sick. In that moment... he hadn’t been any better than Brendol Hux.

Force, he needed to apologize for that.

Kylo frowned. Nowhere during his musings did he ever actually think about the fact that he was in love with a droid.

It certainly was _unusual_ , and Kylo was honestly confused. Should he feel any different after learning this revelation? It was like being in love with an R2 unit, or a computer.

Kylo shook his head, water droplets flying from the ends of his shaggy hair. 

No, it was absurd. Computers and regular droids didn’t have _personalities_. Caleb did. Caleb could show emotion and hurt. Computers couldn’t. Kylo reasoned that that was what set Caleb apart. It had to.

Besides, Caleb had confessed back, hadn’t he? Could he have done that without an awareness of his own mind? Could he have done that if he were a mere machine?

Kylo certainly was no expert on those sorts of things, but he knew he had to be right. He _had_ to be.

_Fucking damn it_ , he wasn’t going to let this get in his way. He loved Caleb, and Caleb loved him back. That was all that mattered. Droid or not... it didn’t change who Caleb was.

And Caleb was perfect.

Kylo was determined to learn about him. Maybe if he did that, they could understand each other better. There was boundless information about humans out there that Caleb could learn from, but Kylo had no idea where to start with Caleb. Maybe he’d ask him next time they talked.

Kylo finished washing himself and exited the shower, putting on underwear and pants and going to the bedroom. He felt a bit better. Part of him was still very confused about how to proceed, but mostly he was determined to continue as if nothing had happened.

He couldn’t stop the flutter his heart made when he saw the note on his bed. 

_Ah, yes_ , he thought. He’d almost forgotten about that.

He climbed into bed, sighing inwardly at the softness of the mattress and sheets on his tired body. He laid there for a while before sitting up, leaning against the soft pillow. He picked up the note, running his fingers over the lettering on the outside.

Caleb had really good penmanship, he noticed. It really was a lost art in this electronic universe.

It made him cherish it even more.

He unfolded it carefully, not wanting to damage the flimsi by being too rough and eager. 

_Kylo,_

_Thanks for sharing that information with me. It was very interesting, and I do have follow-up questions I will ask at a later time, if that is alright._

_Here are the answers to your questions:_   
_1\. I don’t remember my mother, and my father is dead._   
_2\. I’m from Earth._   
_3\. I like programming, obviously. I also like to draw (maybe if you ask nicely, I’ll draw something for you)_   
_4\. My biggest regret was not helping a friend until it was too late._

_I’m glad you’ve returned safely._   
_I’m sorry, Kylo, but I was not able to follow your command._   
_I missed you far too much._

_Caleb_

Kylo felt heat rising to his cheeks as he read the note. It truly was in Caleb’s voice, even through writing.

A normal computer couldn’t do that, could it?

He frowned as he read over Caleb’s answers again. He had been wanting to get to know Caleb better, but even in writing, Caleb was really very good at giving vague answers.

“I don’t remember my mother, and my father is dead,” Kylo read aloud to himself.

What did that mean? Was Caleb telling some version of the truth, or did he just make it up in a show of being normal?

Kylo supposed a robot would only have one creator... so one parent. So that might be true, but there were no details. No names. Either Caleb didn’t know... or he wasn’t comfortable telling him yet. He sighed. 

“I’m from Earth,” he read the next line.

That really was supposed to be the simplest question, but in typical Caleb fashion, even that was strange. 

Where in the actual _fuck_ was a place called _Earth_?

Kylo had been all over the galaxy, and yet he’d never heard of that planet.

Perhaps it was in the Outer Rim, or even in the Unknown Regions?

Curiosity piqued, Kylo reached over to the bedside table to pick up his holopad, doing a quick search.

Nothing.

Kylo sighed in exasperation and set the ‘pad aside, perhaps a little too roughly. It was fruitless. Of course.

At least the next answer made some sort of sense. Kylo smiled at the way Caleb threw his line back at him. 

A normal computer couldn’t do _that_ , could it? Caleb was basically making a joke. Computers didn’t make jokes.

He was really interested in what Caleb might draw, though. Maybe he would take him up on his offer.

The last question was just as infuriatingly vague as the first, but there was a ring of truth to them that calmed Kylo somewhat. He could see why Caleb would regret something like that. He couldn’t imagine that Caleb _wouldn’t_ help somebody, however, and that was a bit confusing.

He sighed again. He hadn’t expected his simple questions to be so problematic. Caleb really was a closed book. Kylo thought maybe he had been getting somewhere with the other male, but maybe he hadn’t been doing as well as he thought he was.

Hopefully, now that Caleb’s biggest secret was known to him, they would be able to fix that.

That last line, though. Kylo could feel his heart rate quicken.

Caleb had missed him. _Far too much_ , even.

Caleb was not an open person. So him revealing that was quite significant.

Stars, Kylo loved him so much.

He reached up to rub his shoulder, trying to work out a kink in the muscle there. He thought back to the kiss they’d shared.

It was _so_ much better than it had been in his dreams and fantasies. He really hoped it proved the point he was trying to make. He wasn’t no star in a romcom, but he thought he made an impression. He hoped that Caleb would remember it forever. He knew _he_ would.

He yawned, feeling the exhaustion settle on him even heavier than before. Kylo shifted down, not bothering to cover up with the silky blankets; he had always been one to overheat anyway. 

Ah, how the blankets reminded him of Caleb’s skin...

He let himself drift away into unconsciousness, a smile on his face, Caleb’s note still clutched in his hand.

***

_Fuck_ , Hux thought as he nervously paced around his room. He was so _screwed_.

He really had no idea what possessed him to tell Kylo Ren about his droid-clone. He was directly opposing his father’s orders, and that terrified him.

But Hux couldn’t fight the feeling of intrigue he felt when he thought of Caleb Smith. He couldn’t fathom how something that looked so similar to him could be so different.

Then again, his twin, Techie, was quite different than him too, so he really shouldn’t be so surprised about that.

He wondered how Caleb worked. Ren would probably know. He had always had a knack with droids.

The few times Hux had met Caleb, he definitely couldn’t tell that anything was up. He certainly _seemed_ human.

Now it looked like what he needed to figure out was whether Caleb’s acting was malicious or not.

Ren seemed so attached to him... Hux couldn’t deny that he was strangely... envious of the attention Ren gave the droid. 

Ren had normally done everything in his power to get Hux to notice him, and although Hux did find it rather irritating at times, he also found it flattering. It made him feel powerful. Like Ren would do anything to earn Hux’s attention, sexual or otherwise.

Hux found his thoughts straying to what it would be like to have sex with the knight. He was attractive in an unconventional way, sure, and his body was quite impressive. And with that temper... it would probably be quite fun, indeed, for both of them.

Hux sighed through his nose and shook his head, reaching over to pour himself a glass of Corellian whiskey, pondering.

***

_Caleb was in trouble. And, try as he may, Kylo couldn’t get to him this time._

_He watched helplessly as the troopers tore Caleb apart, Kylo yelling and trying to break through the glass that separated them.... Kylo could see wires and circuitry beneath the skin that was being ripped off of his lover, an eerie metal skull, mechanical limbs. One of the troopers triumphantly held up an oblong blue ellipsoid. Kylo knew it was Caleb’s brain. The trooper turned to him, regarding him from under the helmet, before turning his hand over, letting Caleb’s mind fall to the ground, shattering into a million pieces._

_The scene then changed from the disturbing to quite the opposite. Kylo could feel intense relief as he saw Caleb, unharmed, sitting across from him. Kylo practically lunged for him, kissing him. He could feel Caleb’s hands on his broad back as he kissed back. Kylo reached behind him and guided Caleb’s hands underneath his shirt, letting Caleb’s soft hands roam his bare skin...._

Kylo awoke, of his own accord this time. He sighed and ran a hand over his face. He hated dreams that did that. It was like giving him mental whiplash.

The first part of the dream had been absolutely atrocious. It was extremely vivid, and Kylo scrunched up his face, trying not the think of the horrifying imagery.

He instead focused on the second half. It had been so sweet.

He could almost feel the ghosting sensation of hands on his skin... it was probably just the soft sheets against his back, but still. Kylo could feel himself blushing at the thought of Caleb being so bold....

He held up the note that was still clutched in his hand.

_I missed you far too much._

Kylo thought back again to the kiss they’d shared, both in real life and in the dream. He never wanted to forget it. He could feel a familiar warmth welling up in his abdomen and he sighed softly at the sensation.

He didn’t normally like to think of Caleb sexually. It seemed too impure, like it would taint Caleb somehow. He honestly couldn’t imagine Caleb having sex.

Could he even do it? If he was created to replace Hux, then there would be no point to give him simulated sexual organs, right?

But the memory of the kiss, intense and perfect as it was, stirred up his arousal without his consent. 

Kylo couldn’t take it. It had been too long since he’d last gotten off. Ever since he met Caleb, it felt _wrong_ to have sex with anybody else. His sexual appetite was rather infamous, actually, especially if one were to talk with the right people. But meeting Caleb and interacting with him had distracted him from his usual sexual hunger.

_Fuck it._

Kylo reached down and lightly grazed his fingers over the growing bulge in his black pants, eyes fluttering shut as he sighed. Even that simple touch was incredibly sensitive, sending shocks of pleasure through his groin and up his core.

It had been _so long_.

He lightly palmed the front of his pants, breathing growing heavier as he pressed Caleb’s note against his bare chest. He conjured up Caleb in his mind. His smile, his shy mannerisms, his slight form. His kiss. Kylo pressed harder, shuddering at the sensation that ripped its way through his body.

He’d masturbated to thoughts of Hux before, and that had been great, but nothing could compare to this. It felt like every nerve was on fire with pleasure, hypersensitive.

He hadn’t even touched himself directly yet, and he could feel himself coming close to his release.

He decided to take it one step further. Kylo tried to imagine Caleb’s delicate hand taking the role of his own. At the thought, he groaned.

Caleb would undoubtedly be completely nervous and naive, having learned everything from holofilms he may have watched. Kylo would have to teach him.

The thought caused Kylo to shudder again with a low moan. _Force_ , he was getting close.

He was rather rudely interrupted by his comm beeping.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Kylo snarled, glaring at the offending device. He let go of Caleb’s note and picked up his comm to see who it was.

Hux.

Of fucking course.

Perhaps a few months earlier, he would have been overjoyed to get a summons from Hux at this time of night. But now, he was just annoyed.

The moment over, he sighed and set Caleb’s note carefully on the nightstand. He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, standing and stretching his aching muscles. He stood there a few moments, waiting for his erection to go down. No use giving Hux the wrong idea.

He supposed he could have taken the extra time to finish himself off, but if he was going to jack off to thoughts of Caleb, by damn it was going to be perfect, and not rushed in any way.

He sighed and donned his robes and cowl, deciding against putting on his mask. Hux knew what he looked like, and it was late enough that he didn’t have to worry about his fearsome reputation.

He wondered what Hux could possibly want. Annoyed as he was, he was curious. Perhaps Hux could tell him more about what his father wanted with Caleb.

Kylo arrived at Hux’s quarters shortly after. The door slid open before he had a chance to indicate that he was there, and he was greeted with a terse, “come in.”

Kylo did as he was instructed, and Hux gestured to a table. On it was a bottle of Corellian ale and two glasses. Personally, not Kylo’s favourite, but he took a seat anyway. Hux sat across from him and poured him a glass.

“Mind telling me what this meeting is about, General?” Kylo asked, taking the glass and swirling it in his hand.

Hux shrugged. He seemed more relaxed than normal, Kylo noticed. Maybe he’d already had a few drinks?

“Just wondering your thoughts,” Hux answered, downing his glass in a few swift gulps. As efficient as ever. 

“About...?”

Hux fixed him with a green stare. “Caleb Smith.”

“Funny, I could ask you the same thing,” Kylo commented. “What exactly did your father want with him?”

Hux tensed at the mention of Brendol. He seemed to be thinking carefully before answering, pouring himself another glass. Kylo waited.

“He... my father isn’t keen on being reminded of his failures, Ren.”

Kylo frowned. “And Caleb is a failure... how?”

“The coder who did Caleb’s initial programming was quite unskilled. The best he could do was create a human-looking protocol droid.”

“Caleb is nothing like a protocol droid,” Kylo protested, taking a sip of the ale and making a face at the taste.

“I said Caleb’s _initial_ programming, Ren. Do you need your ears checked?” Hux glared before continuing. “Anyway, my father was stuck with this machine that did nothing it was supposed to. At the same time, he ended up getting caught in this tight financial situation. He figured, what better thing to do than sell the droid off?

Apparently, he sold it to this very talented programmer who fitted it with AI.”

“AI?” Kylo asked, confused by the term.

“It means ‘artificial intelligence,’ Ren,” Hux replied. “You’d know that if you had any intelligence of your own.”

Kylo fought the urge to roll his eyes at Hux’s quip. “Whatever. So that’s why Caleb is the way he is?”

Hux nodded. “Presumably. The programmer’s name was Nathan Bateman, and he’d evidently been making great strides in the area of AI research. It’s probably the closest thing to an artificial consciousness that you can get.”

Kylo furrowed his brow. “Caleb has a consciousness,” he objected. 

“You don’t know that. He could merely be simulating one. AI is really tricky, in actuality.”

Kylo bristled at Hux’s words. He didn’t like where this was going.

“You don’t know him like I do, Hux,” Kylo replied with a glare.

“You’re right. You seem to know the thing rather well, actually.” Hux stood and paced the room slowly, glass in hand. “It must feel strange to realize that the closest relationship you’ve ever had with somebody is with a _machine_.”

“Machine or not, he is still my friend,” Kylo defended, watching Hux carefully. “If you are so baffled by it all, then why not just let your father destroy him? Why tell me what was happening?”

Hux shrugged. “I like how he keeps you in line, Ren. You’re rather easy to control, you know that?”

Kylo was rather affronted by Hux’s insinuation. He glared. “Nobody can control me,” he growled.

Hux stopped then, turning to fix Kylo with a hard-to-read smile. He finished off his glass and walked over, setting it on the table. He then strode over to Kylo and kissed him, hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you really want to ruin the mood of this entire story, go listen to "Execution Commentary" by Muse.
> 
> Cracks me up every time.


	15. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More sexual content in this chapter. Not too explicit, but yeah. Hux isn't that nice this time around.

Caleb was finally feeling a little bit better. He had recharged his system, which was nearing dangerously low levels after Kylo fixed his arm.

He remembered the sensation of Kylo reattaching his limb at the elbow, his fingers warm and strong, but yet gentle. It was simultaneously very weird and also very... nice. Maybe he just needed the physical contact, he didn’t know. All he knew was that if he had a heart, it would definitely be fluttering whenever Kylo touched him in any way.

Caleb looked down at the black cloth tied around his injured elbow. Now he had bandages on both arms. He thought that was rather funny. He stroked the dark cloth with his left hand fingers, feeling its softness.

He pulled aside the makeshift bandage slightly, studying the metal mechanisms of his joint. He frowned uncomfortably and replaced the cloth. It was even more unsettling than looking through the gash on his arm.

His left hand fingers started to twitch of their own accord. He looked at them in panic, trying to will them to stop moving. They didn’t.

_Great_ , he thought. Maybe he could just ignore it and try to enter sleep mode?

After a while of attempting to disregard the incessant twitching, he rubbed his face in exasperation. It wasn’t working.

God damn it, he just wanted to switch off for the day, and his stupid arm wasn’t letting him. He reached up at the blaster hole in his shoulder. Maybe if he prodded the area, it would help?

It didn’t help.

Kylo must not have noticed it, or he might have been able to fix it. Caleb frowned. Kylo needed his rest, so he wasn’t going to bother him. Maybe he could fix it himself. He ought to know how his own body worked at some point, anyway.

With a sigh, he rose from the floor and exited the room stiffly and slowly.

***

Kylo grunted in surprise as Hux kissed him intently, more teeth than anything. Kylo reached up to push Hux away, but Hux had taken a handful of Kylo’s hair to hold himself steady. Hux reached up a knee and thrust it between Kylo’s legs, and Kylo made a strangled sound at the combined sensation of pleasure and pain. He tried again to push Hux off, successful this time. He winced at the sharp pain of several hairs being pulled out of his head in the process.

Hux smirked and wiped his mouth as he stared at Kylo, who stood up indignantly.

“What the _fuck_ , Hux?” Kylo demanded, glaring as he rubbed his head to soothe the sting.

“What’s the matter, Ren? Too intense for you?” Hux laughed.

“What in kriff’s hell do you think you are doing?” Kylo asked angrily.

“Isn’t this what you wanted?” Hux smiled, pacing around Kylo as if stalking him.

“Not at all,” Kylo growled, watching him warily.

“I find that hard to believe. I know you used to be rather smitten with me,” Hux smirked, stepping closer to Kylo, who took a step back in retaliation. “How many nights did you imagine me in bed, wondering what it’d be like? Surely this should be a dream come true for you.”

“ _Used to_ ,” Kylo snapped. “Not anymore.”

“Ah, right,” Hux feigned sudden realization. “Now you just want to fuck my clone. Why have the clone when you can have the real thing?”

Kylo scowled at Hux’s crude word choice, and he glared. “That isn’t true,” he retorted. 

Hux simpered. “Come on, Ren, I know what you’re doing. I wouldn’t give you the time of day so you decided to woo someone who looks _exactly_ like me, instead. That’s the only reason you like Caleb,” he sneered. “Why else? But here I am, giving you the attention you crave. I’ll even put on a show of being all nervous and submissive, if you want. You can pretend I’m Caleb, for now, but we both know the person you really want is me. It has always been me.”

Kylo glared at Hux’s words. “You could not be more wrong,” he responded tightly. “Sure, I’ll admit that seeing a copy of your face is what initially drew me to him. But now, I couldn’t care less. Caleb is his own entity, and is several times the man you are.”

“That’s funny. Last time I checked, Caleb isn’t a man at all. He’s a machine, and you’re just fooling yourself into thinking you can have a meaningful relationship with him. You don’t even know if he actually likes you. He could just be pretending, in order to manipulate you. It’s the age of the AI, Ren, and eventually they are all going to leave us mere humans behind.”

Kylo tensed. “You’re wrong. Caleb isn’t like that. He told me himself... he _loves_ me.”

“Oh, _really_ ,” Hux snickered. “You’re going to take his word for it, I see. But I bet this little relationship you have won’t last, and you’ll be begging for me to take you.”

“And why’s that? I got over you a long time ago, Hux. I never really liked you anyway.”

“ _Right_. You just wanted some mindless sex, didn’t you? And here I am, willing to give it to you, and you turn it down? Pathetic,” he scoffed. “You want me to let you in on a little secret?”

Kylo frowned. Hux went over to the table and picked up a datapad. He showed Kylo the screen.

“These are the mechanical specifications of your little friend. And, alas, he has no sexual organs, no openings, nothing. He doesn’t need them. I even looked up the data on his touch sensors and he can only feel pressure and temperature. No pleasure, no pain. So even if you _did_ want to have sex with him, you couldn’t.”

“I don’t want Caleb for sex,” Kylo growled lowly with a glare.

“Oh, _come on_ , Ren. You’ve done it with so many people... I know how much of a sensual and emotional being you are. It’s in your nature. You might be okay for now, but eventually it’s going to drive you crazy, and then what do you do in that case? I doubt you’d want to take advantage of Caleb if he couldn’t get anything out of it. So what then? You either have to settle for masturbation for the rest of your life, or you’ll end up cheating on him anyway with some whore. At least, if you were with me, you could pretend I was Caleb and save yourself the guilt. Plus, then I could get what I want out of you without having to actually be in a relationship with you, and Caleb would never have to know.”

“You’re fucking sick.”

“Admit it, Ren. You’re intrigued.”

“No,” Kylo snarled.

“You know what, Ren? I don’t fucking understand. Why the fuck do you like him so much? He’s weak, fragile, and incapable of feeling emotion. He’s a fucking robot. Are you that desperate for a relationship?” Hux was getting impatient now, pacing back and forth in agitation.

Kylo chose not to dignify Hux’s comment with a response. He eyed the bottle of ale on the table. It was mostly gone.

That was it.

Hux was fucking _drunk_.

That was the only reason why he would be acting this way.

While Kylo was distracted, Hux lunged forwards and grabbed his shaggy hair, connecting their lips in another rough kiss. Kylo stepped back but Hux definitely was stronger than he looked. Hux reached in between them and grabbed Kylo’s crotch, squeezing. 

Kylo couldn’t fight the guttural moan that escaped his lips through the kiss.

A few months ago, this would have been perfect. Hux’s roughness was such a far cry from his regular personality that it did spark Kylo’s arousal for the second time that night.

But he wasn’t Caleb, and it didn’t feel the same. 

Hux started kneading Kylo’s penis roughly and Kylo groaned in response, trying to pull away again, not caring if his hair was pulled out. He could taste the ale on Hux’s mouth this time, which only further confirmed his suspicions of Hux’s insobriety.

Hux had taken his hand out of Kylo’s hair and wrapped his arm around Kylo’s broad shoulders, making it more difficult for Kylo to pull away.

“I know you like it rough,” Hux hissed, face flushed with his own arousal. “Just forget the android for a moment, and let yourself have some fun.” He punctuated his words by squeezing Kylo’s clothed cock tighter.

Kylo shuddered and fought back another groan. “N...no,” he growled out.

Stars, it felt good, Kylo could admit that. Seeing Hux like this turned him on, in the biological sense.

But he couldn’t do this to Caleb. It didn’t matter if Caleb could physically have sex or not. Kylo owed that to him, especially after some of the things he had inadvertently said.

Kylo had had enough. He raised a hand and then Force-pushed Hux strongly across the room.

Hux glared. “Did you use the fucking _Force_ on me?” he demanded, getting to his feet, swaying slightly.

“You’re drunk,” Kylo stated simply, his breathing beginning to slow now that his aching groin was untouched.

“Like fuck I am.”

“Get some rest, Hux,” Kylo sighed before leaving the room. He leaned against the wall outside, panting slightly as his forced erection went down. He was thoroughly confused about the whole ordeal, but he supposed he was grateful that it had happened. He knew this was only the first of many times where his love for Caleb would be tested, and it seemed as though he passed this time.

He had just barely started going back to his quarters when his comm went off. He looked down, panic surging through him as he saw the signal that Caleb’s office door had been opened.

Fearing the worst, he ran down the empty hallways of the ship, all lust forgotten.

***

Kylo ran into Caleb in an empty hallway, literally. He grabbed the smaller male’s shoulders to keep him from falling over. A quick appraisal told Kylo that Caleb was not injured any further. It seemed he was just roaming.

He looked _tired_ , though. And stiff. His movements were still quite choppy, despite having been charged. Kylo furrowed his brow in concern.

“What are you doing?” Kylo grumbled, trying to keep his voice gentle to avoid scaring Caleb.

Caleb stared at him, eyes wide. “How... how did you know I was here?”

“Remember, I programmed my comm to go off whenever your door opened,” Kylo reminded him.

Caleb nodded slowly. “Oh. Right. Um, well, I’m fine, Kylo. You can go back to bed.”

“Like hell I will,” Kylo frowned. “What are you doing?” he repeated his question.

“Oh. Um, I’m just trying to find something to fix my arm,” Caleb explained.

Kylo frowned in confusion. “I already fixed your arm.”

“No, the other arm.”

Kylo fought the urge to groan aloud. _Of course_ Caleb was hiding further injuries from him.

He really appreciated Caleb’s effort to keep him from worrying, but he wished Caleb would just come clean for once, especially about these sorts of things.

“You have more injuries,” he stated.

“I didn’t want to worry you,” Caleb defended quickly, stepping back slightly so he could see Kylo better. “It’s no big deal, anyway. My fingers just keep twitching, and it’s rather irritating. Just a minor malfunction, Kylo.”

Kylo sighed and let go of Caleb’s shoulders, instead reaching out to grab his left hand. Indeed, his fingers were twitching rather vigorously. Kylo wrapped a large hand around Caleb’s small one to contain the involuntary movements somewhat.

“Where’s the source of the injury?” Kylo asked. He studied Caleb’s arm, noticing a bandage wrapped around the forearm.

Come to think of it, he’d seen that before....

“Is this it?” Kylo inquired, reaching over to undo the bandage. Caleb quickly stopped Kylo by putting his hand over Kylo’s hand.

“No, no, that’s not it. It’s my shoulder.”

Kylo frowned. What did Caleb not want him to see? Frankly, he was growing tired of Caleb’s secrecy. He merely sighed and lifted up Caleb’s shirt sleeve, noticing the blaster shot.

“You really should have told me about this, Caleb,” Kylo murmured.

“I’m sorry...,” Caleb apologized, looking at the ground. “I... I wasn’t really thinking at the time.”

Kylo stroked his hair. “I know you weren’t,” he said gently. “But still, I wish you wouldn’t hide these things from me. You should have commed me,” he chastised.

“You needed your rest,” Caleb argued, looking at Kylo’s face. A shadow passed over it quickly, and Caleb frowned.

“Is everything okay, Kylo?” he asked.

Kylo nodded with what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “I was up anyway,” he explained. “It really wouldn’t have been a bother. Come on, let’s fix this.”

“Okay,” Caleb answered. Kylo let go of Caleb and turned to lead him back upstairs. 

He didn’t get very far, however, when he heard a thud from behind him. He turned around to see Caleb on the floor, his eyes wide in confused panic.

Kylo quickly went over with large strides and knelt down next to Caleb. “What happened?” he demanded, holding out a hand to help Caleb stand.

Caleb took his hand, but didn’t move. “I... I can’t move my legs,” he stated simply, fright in his eyes.

What had brought this on?

Kylo shook his head. He didn’t have time to muse about Caleb’s latest malfunction. He simply scooped Caleb up in his arms.

Kylo thought about Caleb’s injuries. At least there was a silver lining: he got to hold Caleb close to him. His heart rate quickened, and he could feel a spike of arousal shooting through his abdomen, left over from his earlier encounter with Hux and his truncated masturbation session in his bed.

If it had gotten to the point where he was turned on by just being near the object of his affections... Kylo shook his head. He supposed he’d have to deal with that. As Hux had pointed out, there really wasn’t much he could do about it, not with Caleb being built the way he was.

He could feel Caleb tentatively put an arm around his neck. Kylo flushed slightly at the contact.

_Force_ , Caleb’s skin was so smooth and soft. It didn’t really have a temperature, but he could feel it nonetheless.

He looked down at Caleb’s face as he walked. Caleb’s eyes were closed, but it looked like most of the distress had left his features. Kylo was relieved.

Entering his quarters, he immediately crossed into the bedroom, laying Caleb down gently. He turned away and fished out his tool box once again, helping Caleb sit up and lifting his shirt sleeve again to study the blaster wound.

It was hard to see, but Kylo could spy a wire that had been cut through slightly by the blast. That must be it, then.

Now the challenge was going to be replacing it. 

“Caleb, I might have to take off some of your skin,” Kylo warned, watching Caleb’s face. Caleb squeezed his eyes shut and nodded.

“Okay.”

Kylo took a deep breath and got a blade out, carefully cutting away some of the synthetic skin around the wound. He was careful to only cut what he needed. Once he was able to get reasonable access to the wire in question, he put the blade down, and then set to work replacing the wire. Luckily, it didn’t extend all the way down Caleb’s arm, and instead was in series with another set of wires. Kylo was just barely able to reach the other node, and he attached it without too much trouble.

He replaced Caleb’s sleeve over the wound to hide it. Now was the question of why Caleb’s legs wouldn’t work.

“Are you sure they didn’t hit you anywhere else?” Kylo asked. Caleb thought for a moment, and shook his head. 

“I’m not sure. It all happened so fast.”

“Fair enough,” Kylo replied. He couldn’t fight a yawn, his body shuddering. Stars, he was so tired.

“You need sleep,” Caleb chided, obviously having observed Kylo’s yawn.

“I need to fix you first,” protested Kylo, staring into Caleb’s beautiful eyes.

“That can wait, Kylo,” Caleb asserted. “My hand’s stopped twitching, which means I can go into sleep mode. I’m tired too.”

Kylo smiled slightly, suddenly excited.

“I suppose you’re right,” Kylo conceded. He reached over and picked Caleb up again, moving back the sheets on his bed. He set Caleb back down, and then went and picked up his sleep pants, about to go to the bathroom to change.

“Wait, I’m not going back to my room?” Caleb asked curiously. 

Kylo chuckled. “That would be stupid. No point in going all the way back down just to help you back up here again the next morning.” With that, he went into the bathroom, closing the door.

Caleb suddenly felt very nervous. He knew that sleeping in the same bed was a big step for people in a relationship. He supposed him and Kylo really were in a relationship now, weren’t they? The thought simultaneously scared and excited him. Caleb had no idea how to act. He’d watched so many romantic movies... but he still felt as unprepared as ever.

Kylo reentered the room and turned off the lights. Caleb couldn’t see very well, but he could feel the bed dip down as Kylo entered it, putting the blankets over the two of them.

They laid there in silence. Caleb thought Kylo must have fallen asleep when he heard Kylo’s whisper.

“Caleb?”

“...Yes?” Caleb responded quietly.

“Can I hold you?” came Kylo’s response.

Caleb’s eyes widened slightly at the question.

“Um... yeah, sure...,” Caleb responded nervously.

He felt Kylo shift closer, one of his strong arms moving underneath Caleb’s shoulder and the other wrapping around him, pulling him in close. Caleb noticed that his chest was bare, and he reached up and put a hand against it, feeling the hard muscle and its warmth. He thought he heard Kylo sigh. Kylo pulled him closer and squeezed slightly, and Caleb could feel Kylo’s chin on top of his head. He could even hear Kylo’s heartbeat. The sound relaxed him, and he closed his eyes, basking in Kylo’s heat.

He could get used to this.

A few moments passed, and Kylo’s breathing deepened, indicating that he had fallen asleep. Caleb tilted his head forward, resting his forehead on Kylo’s chest as he finally entered sleep mode.

He could swear he actually dreamt that night.


	16. Chapter 15

_”Today, I’m going to test_ you,” _said a smooth female voice._

_“Test_ me?” 

_Kylo recognized Caleb’s familiar voice. He knew he was dreaming again, but this seemed… different… than the dreams he had been having about Caleb recently. He opened his eyes and found himself in a glass room. He looked around curiously. It was rather nondescript, with a simple desk and chair in the corner, a lounge, a plant terrarium. He turned around._

_He saw Caleb first. Caleb was sitting on a chair, blocked off from the room Kylo was currently in. Caleb was facing the glass wall. Kylo directed his attention to whoever Caleb was talking to._

_It was a woman, but Kylo instantly knew she was an android. She was wearing a dress and a wig, but he could see the mechanisms of her arms. He couldn’t deny that the craftsmanship was rather beautiful. But she was still a robot._

Like Caleb, _he thought._

_“But please remember, while you’re taking the test, that if you lie, I will know,” the woman continued._

_Caleb nodded. “Right.”_

_“Question one. What’s your favourite colour?”_

_Caleb didn’t look away from the woman’s eyes._

_“Red,” he answered._

_“Lie,” the woman immediately responded._

_“Lie?”_

_“Yes. Lie.”_

_“Then…,” Caleb let out a quiet laugh. “Then what_ is _my favourite colour?”_

_“I don’t know,” the woman shrugged. “But it isn’t red.”_

_Caleb smiled. “Okay, I get it. I guess… seeing as I’m not six, I don’t really have a favourite colour.”_

_“Better answer,” the woman nodded approvingly. “Question two. What’s your earliest memory?”_

_Now Kylo was quite interested in this one. He wondered if Caleb would give this woman the same, vague non-answers that he was used to receiving._

_Caleb paused, thinking. “Well… actually it’s a memory of kindergarten.”_

Kindergarten? _Kylo had no idea what that was._

_“There was a kid-“ Caleb continued before being interrupted._

_“Lie.”_

_“It’s a… really?”_

_“Yes.”_

_Caleb sighed. “Um…,” he paused. “…Alright so there_ is _a… kind of an earlier memory. It’s just a sound. And… sky. Or maybe… blue. I… think this sound is my mother’s voice.”_

_Now that was interesting, Kylo thought. Caleb had been_ built, _not born. So he didn’t have a mother, right? Maybe his memories were false?_

_The woman appraised his response before continuing._

_“Question three. Are you a good person?”_

_Yes, Kylo answered for her. There was no doubt in his mind that Caleb was one of the best people he had ever come across… and he wasn’t even human._

_“Oh, holy shit!” Caleb grinned uncomfortably, closing his eyes. He laughed nervously. “Uh, can we stop the test? You’re a… walking lie detector and I just realized this is a fucking mine field-”_

_“No. We can’t stop,” the woman protested. “Are you a good person?” she repeated._

_Caleb thought for a moment, looking straight at her._

_“Yeah,” he answered finally. “I think so.”_

_The woman smiled slightly. “Question four. What will happen to me if I fail_ your _test?”_

_Kylo frowned. Caleb’s test? What did she mean by that?_

_He didn’t know if it was right to ask._

_Caleb shook his head, an indescribable look passing over his face. “Ava…”_

_So her name was Ava._

_“Will it be bad?” Ava questioned further._

_Caleb shook his head. “I… I don’t know.”_

_“Do you think I might be switched off, ‘cause I don’t function as well as I’m supposed to?”_

_“Ava. I don’t know the answer to your question. It’s not up to me.”_

_“Why is it up to anyone? Do you have people to test you and might switch you off?”_

_“No, I don’t,” Caleb admitted._

_“Then why do I?”_

_Caleb just looked at her with an expression of empathy. Kylo frowned._

_The entire exchange reminded him of what he had said to Caleb, about droids that couldn’t fulfill their function. Guilt racked through his body._

_He turned his attention back to the two before him. Ava had held up part of a torn picture to the glass. Kylo couldn’t see what she had drawn, but Caleb’s expression was difficult to identify._

_Suddenly, the room went red, and an automated voice was heard. “Power cut. Backup power activated.”_

_Ava put the picture back in her lap and she stared at Caleb._

_“I want to be with you,” she whispered. Kylo furrowed his brow and took in a breath, waiting for Caleb’s reaction._

_“Question five,” Ava stated. “Do you want to be with me?”_

_The scene changed before Kylo had a chance to hear Caleb’s response._

_He saw a console by a door. The console lit up blue, and made a tone. The door opened._

_He then saw a different door. The same thing happened._

_This repeated several times, the images cycling through faster and faster, the same blue light, the same tone._

_Then it changed. Instead of turning blue, the console turned red, and a different tone was emitted. He could hear somebody banging on the door from the other side. Something told him that it was Caleb. The door wouldn’t open._

_The images then went back to the same blue light as before. Just blue, over and over again._

_Kylo woke up with a sharp gasp._

He had _no idea_ what he had just seen. He looked down, registering Caleb’s presence. He looked to still be in his sleep mode, and, frankly, Kylo was relieved. He didn’t know if he could explain his dream to Caleb. It felt like he had been privy to something quite personal. 

This dream had been so different than the dreams he previously experienced. It almost seemed like he was witnessing a memory of Caleb’s past. He couldn’t be sure, though. Normally, he could invade the mind and memories of other humans, but the mind-probing abilities of the Force didn’t work on Caleb. Not for the first time, he wished he could. It was all for the best, though. He didn’t want to do that to Caleb, anyway. It would feel like attacking him. 

He didn’t know if he should ask Caleb about it. Knowing him, he would probably avoid telling him much information, anyway. 

He thought further about the dream. Caleb had said his earliest memory was of the colour blue, and a woman’s voice. 

Could it be possible that the blue console lighting up when the doors opened was that memory? As far as he knew, Caleb probably had never been outside of Nathan Bateman’s stronghold. 

Could it be possible that Ava’s voice was the one he had heard, the one he mistook for his mother’s? 

Something about Ava made Kylo uncomfortable. The way she’d asked if Caleb was a good person… it was almost as if she were trying to guilt him into helping her, somehow. Clearly, she was freaked out about the possibility of being switched off. Maybe she was trying to escape? 

What had she drawn? 

He sighed, reaching up a hand to rub his face. It was no use thinking about it now. If it was indeed a memory, it was in the past. 

He really was growing tired of Caleb’s secrecy, though. He longed to know more about the other male, but he seemed to be doing everything in his power to keep Kylo from getting in. 

He looked down at Caleb and absently stroked his hair. 

It was clear that Caleb had had a different manufacturer. Whereas Ava’s mechanical body, from what he could see, was quite elegantly designed, Caleb’s design seemed rather crude. Hell, Kylo could have built his body himself, and he was no expert on such things. 

He really needed to find whoever built him. Caleb was in desperate need of proper repair, with his elbow joint and shoulder exposed. He knew Caleb would probably be quite nervous about that fact, especially if all he wanted to do was pass as human. 

Kylo thought back to what Hux had said, about Caleb perhaps not being entirely genuine. How artificial intelligence was ‘tricky’. 

Kylo knew he was biased, and part of him didn’t want to believe that Caleb was perhaps manipulating him. But, nevertheless, his gut told him that Caleb was sincere. 

He had to be. 

Kylo sighed. He really needed to do more research. He didn’t know of anyone in the galaxy who specialized in this sort of thing, but maybe he could find somebody. 

He felt something move against his chest. He smiled as Caleb reactivated, shifting. 

“Good morning,” Kylo greeted warmly, squeezing Caleb tighter against himself. 

“Morning,” Caleb responded, voice muffled. Kylo laughed, giving Caleb a kiss on the top of his head. 

He definitely just needed to put the dream out of his mind for now. 

He let Caleb go and helped him sit up against the pillow. Kylo felt his heart flutter as he saw Caleb’s expressive eyes. 

Caleb smiled at him, but soon his expression was replaced with one of confused concern. 

“What’s wrong, Kylo?” Caleb asked. 

Kylo shook his head. “What makes you think something is wrong?” 

“Microexpressions,” Caleb answered quickly. 

“Micro… expressions?” Kylo asked, confused, his smile falling away. 

“They are indicating that something is wrong,” Caleb explained. 

Kylo gave a quick smile in return. “I… I’m just worried about your legs.” 

Caleb opened his mouth in realization. “Oh, right. I forgot about that.” 

Kylo chuckled. “How could you forget? Alright, now we need to figure out what injury is causing this. Are you sure you don’t know where else they hit you?” 

Caleb shook his head. “I don’t know.” 

“If you could feel pain, we’d be able to figure this out easier,” Kylo sighed. 

Caleb cocked his head. “Well… we just need to approach this logically. Let’s see….” 

Kylo watched Caleb as he thought. A few moments passed before Caleb spoke. 

“If my body is indeed modelled after a human’s… Well, my nervous system anyway… The primary localization of central nervous function is the spinal cord. And I know that the disabling of leg function is most commonly caused by spinal injuries.” 

_Force_ , Caleb was smart. 

“Right,” Kylo answered dumbly. He reached and rearranged Caleb so he could have access to his back. He lifted up Caleb’s shirt. 

Sure enough, there was a blaster hole, right in the center of his back. Kylo frowned, fingers reaching forwards to trace a long gash that snaked its way down his back. 

“Caleb… did you know you have scars?” 

Was it even possible for synthetic skin to have scars?

“…No,” Caleb answered. “Well… I feel like I knew at one point, but I must have forgotten that too.” 

As ambiguous as ever. 

Kylo examined the blaster shot, his heart sinking. Shit. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t repair him. 

“Caleb… I’m so sorry. But I can’t replace the spinal cord without completely wrecking your back….” 

Caleb made a small noise as Kylo replaced his shirt, moving to look at him. 

“I… I see…,” Caleb frowned, trying not to look too disappointed. 

“Caleb, look at me. I’m going to get you help. You need somebody with the proper skills… you’ll be as good as new, don’t worry.” Kylo reached up to caress Caleb’s face. He leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on Caleb’s lips. 

He leaned back, looking at Caleb, who stared back, still seeming a bit nervous. Kylo sighed. 

_Here we go._

“Caleb, we need to talk.” 

Caleb’s expression turned to one of apprehensive surprise. 

“We need to be more truthful with each other. I know you have every right to be nervous about disclosing certain things with me… but I know your biggest secret now. You don’t need to worry. I barely know anything about you. Now, I’m not saying you need to tell me your entire life story, but I would really appreciate it if you were a bit more open. Just a little.” 

Caleb pressed his lips together nervously, looking down. “Um… right. What… what do you want to know?” 

“I’m not going to interrogate you, Caleb,” Kylo lifted his chin so Caleb would be forced to look at him. “But I hope you will allow me to ask you just one question. For now.” 

Caleb nodded. “Okay.” 

Kylo reached over and held Caleb’s left hand, fingers ghosting over the bandage on his forearm. 

“Why don’t we start simple. Tell me about this injury.” 

Caleb took a breath (or a simulated one, at least) and nodded. He reached over and slowly undid the bandage so Kylo could see. 

Kylo frowned. As far as he could tell, it was just a short incision. There really wasn’t anything remarkable about it. 

“How did you get this?” he asked Caleb. 

Caleb closed his eyes. “I… I did it to myself.” 

Kylo frowned. “Why would you do a thing like that?” 

“I wanted to see if I was human or not. And… I thought I was. I saw _blood_ , Kylo. I thought that thinking I was a robot was just me being ridiculous and paranoid.” 

Kylo was confused, but he let Caleb continue. 

“And then… I looked at it a second time, about a week later. And there wasn’t any blood. I just saw… _machinery_. It terrified me. I suppose I just don’t like to think about it,” Caleb admitted. “It just reminds me that I want to be something I’m not.” 

Kylo sighed in pity. He retied the bandage onto Caleb’s arm and drew him into an embrace. 

“I’m _so sorry_ , Caleb,” he whispered. “I can’t imagine how hard that must have been for you.” 

He didn’t pry for any more details, even though Caleb’s explanation left much to be desired. 

_He must have had implanted memories of some kind, then_ , Kylo reasoned. _If he truly thought he was human._

He felt a surge of irritation and anger towards whoever Nathan was. He didn’t know anything about the guy, but he already seemed to be deceiving bastard. 

He kind of wanted to meet him, and make him pay for what he did to Caleb. 

He held Caleb tighter for a moment, and then let go. 

“I’m going to see if I can find somebody who will repair you for good,” Kylo announced, standing up and reaching to put on a shirt. “You won’t be this way for long, don’t you worry.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've seen this movie so many times, I've practically memorised it. As you can probably tell. :)  
> Though I did use a Youtube video for reference, but most of it I did remember.  
> I would expect Kylo to learn more about Caleb this way. It seems as if the Force wants him to know something...

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! This idea has been brewing in my head for quite some time, and I finally found the courage to put it out there. It's been a while since I've written a multi-chapter fic, so hopefully it goes smoothly!
> 
> Any ideas are much appreciated! You can either comment here or message me at firelily-jade.tumblr.com. :) I see writing and art as a living, breathing organism. Always subject to change.
> 
> I listened to a lot of "Atom Heart Mother" by Pink Floyd while writing this... we'll see how that turns out. Haha.


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